US-China Tensions Sparked at Regional Forum: Blinken and Wang Meet Again Amidst Growing Security Concerns
The US Secretary of State emphasized the importance of American presence in the Indo-Pacific, while the South China Sea and the crisis in Myanmar were also major topics of discussion. Despite the tensions, optimism was expressed regarding the relationship between the US and China.
Tensions over regional security issues flared at a regional forum in Jakarta that brought together the world's top diplomats, with the US-China divide remaining evident.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the importance of American presence in the Indo-Pacific for regional security, joining China's top diplomat Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a closed-door regional forum.
This meeting between Blinken and Wang marked the second time in as many months that the top US and Chinese diplomats met, as they seek to manage tensions that risk flaring over alleged Chinese hacking.
Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jakarta on July 13 and had pragmatic discussions on China-U.S. Relations, Taiwan question and other matters. pic.twitter.com/QmUwa2lmVX
— ChinaConsulateChicago (@ChinaConsulate) July 15, 2023
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) talks in Jakarta, where the South China Sea has been a major topic of discussion.
China claims almost the entirety of the strategic waterway, leading to complaints from several ASEAN members about Beijing infringing on their own territorial claims. The crisis in coup-racked Myanmar also took center stage at the ASEAN talks, with the Southeast Asian bloc divided over how to engage the country's junta rulers.
Despite ongoing tensions between the US and China, Blinken spoke optimistically about the relationship, emphasizing the goal of peaceful and productive coexistence between the two nations.