ASEAN top diplomat meetings joined by United States, China

The talks have grappled with maritime disputes in South China Sea, escalating situation in Myanmar and regional rivalry

Top diplomats from Southeast Asia convened on Saturday in the Laotian capital with their powerful dialogue partners in the last of the three-day regional talks that have grappled with tensions over territorial claims in the South China Sea, escalating fighting in Myanmar, and regional rivalry.

Meetings on Saturday in Vientiane brought together in the same room allies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations “including the US, China, Russia, Japan, India and Australia” to bolster their relationships and discuss key security issues and other regional affairs.

In a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday, Indonesia Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the bloc’s good partnership with Washington should also contribute to global peace. She said they should be respecting international laws “in a consistent manner”, whether about Ukraine, the South China Sea or the crisis in Gaza.

Blinken said he hopes to work closely with the ASEAN nations on those matters, as well as violence in Myanmar and provocations by North Korea. The US Secretary of State met his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of the summit, as both countries are looking to expand their influence in the region.

Participants in these meetings represent either critical US allies and partners, or Washington’s two largest rivals, Moscow and Beijing, which have grown closer over the past two years, prompting deep concerns about their combined global influence. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was also in Vientiane, and already held direct talks with Wang on Thursday.

Indonesia said it emphasised in their opening meetings on Thursday that it’s important the bloc doesn’t get drawn into any rivalry between China and the US.

ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei all have conflicts with China over its claim of sovereignty over virtually all of the South China Sea, one of the world’s most crucial waterways for shipping. Many worry that direct confrontations there could lead to broader conflict. Indonesia has also expressed concern about what it sees as Beijing’s encroachment on its exclusive economic zone.

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