Blinken condemns Beijing’s ‘escalating actions’ at sea, expresses concern over Taiwan | Real Time Headlines

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized Beijing’s “escalating illegal actions” in the South China Sea at a summit on Saturday, while Russia’s foreign minister said plans by Washington and ally Seoul to implement a nuclear deterrent against the Korean peninsula were causing anxiety.

Blinken singled out the Chinese Coast Guard for its hostile actions in the South China Sea against the Philippines, a U.S. defense treaty ally.

But he also praised the two countries’ diplomatic efforts after Manila finalized a deal. supply mission Earlier on Saturday, the U.S. military deployed troops on the disputed shoal, which is not obstructed by China.

Blinken joined diplomats from major powers including Russia, India, China, Australia, Japan and the European Union at the security-focused ASEAN regional forum, which included a discussion of the ASEAN conflict. Gaza and UkraineNorth Korea’s nuclear ambitions and tensions in the South China Sea.

The Philippines’ presence of a small force aboard a former U.S. Navy ship that ran aground on Second Thomas Shoal has angered China for years. Participating countries include quarrel repeatedlyraising concerns in the region about an escalation that could lead to U.S. intervention.

The two sides reached an agreement this week an arrangement on how to perform these tasks.

“We are pleased to note today’s replenishment success at Second Thomas Shoal,” Blinken told foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which hosts the Laos meeting.

“We appreciate that and hope and look forward to seeing it continue to move forward.”

Blinken held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the meeting, their sixth meeting since June 2023, when Blinken’s visit to Beijing signaled an improvement in tensions between the world’s two largest economies .

A senior State Department official said Blinken discussed Taiwan with Wang Yi and concerns about Beijing’s recent “provocative behavior,” including a mock blockade during the inauguration of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.

They agreed to continue making progress on military ties, the official said, adding that Blinken also discussed Beijing’s support for Russia’s defense industrial base and warned that the United States would take further action against Chinese companies, but that Wang Yi did not Any commitment.

Wang Yi told Blinken that although China and the United States have been maintaining communication, Washington’s containment and suppression of Beijing has not stopped and has even intensified.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said that risks to Sino-US relations are still accumulating and challenges are increasing, and that the relationship between the two countries is in a critical period to stop falling and stabilize.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said during the forum guidelines The official purpose of operating U.S. nuclear assets on the Korean peninsula is to establish comprehensive deterrence against the North Korean threat, exacerbating regional security concerns.

“So far we can’t even get an explanation of what this means, but there is no doubt that it will cause additional anxiety,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti, Russia’s official news agency.

“They are actively inflaming the atmosphere around the Korean peninsula, militarizing their presence there and conducting exercises that are frankly designed to prepare for military action,” he said, according to the Interfax news agency.

Blinken said earlier that the United States is “working intensely every day” to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and find a path to more lasting peace and security.

The comments came from Retno Marsudi, the foreign minister of Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, who said sustainable peace was urgently needed.

Retno also said international law should apply to everyone, alluding to recent rulings by two international courts on Israel’s Gaza offensive.

“We cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza,” Retno said.

Fighting in Gaza has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians since Israel launched its invasion, according to Palestinian health authorities, which do not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants.

Israeli officials estimate that 14,000 militants from militant groups including Hamas and Islamic Jihad have been killed or captured out of an estimated 25,000-plus fighters at the start of the war. The militants led the attack on Israel.

Australian Foreign Minister Wong Yin-yin urged Myanmar’s military rulers to take a different path to end the increasingly violent civil war and urged the generals to adhere to their ASEAN commitments peace plan.

The conflict pits Myanmar’s well-equipped military against loose alliance Ethnic rebel groups and armed resistance movements continue to gain ground, testing the generals’ ability to govern.

The military junta has largely ignored peace efforts, and ASEAN has hit a brick wall with all parties refusing to engage in dialogue.

“We see the instability, insecurity, death and suffering caused by the conflict,” Huang told reporters.

“My message from Australia to the regime is that this is not sustainable for you or your people.”

An estimated 2.6 million people have been displaced by the fighting. The junta has been condemned and accused of atrocities for its airstrikes on civilian areas, which it dismisses as Western disinformation.

ASEAN issued a communiqué on Saturday stressing unity in support of the peace plan, condemning violence against civilians and urging all parties in Myanmar to end hostilities and start dialogue.

ASEAN also welcomed unspecified practical measures to ease tensions in the South China Sea and prevent accidents and miscalculations, while urging all stakeholders to cease actions that could complicate and escalate disputes.