VIENTIANE, Laos, October 14 ------ The United States and its allies clashed with Russia and China at a summit in Laos dominated by disputes on maritime claims and Ukraine. World leaders descended on the normally tranquil, temple-lined streets of the Laotian capital Vientiane, which marked a rare occasion bringing together the top US and Russian diplomats.
The East Asia Summit came on the heels of meetings of the ASEAN bloc, where the Philippines has led the charge in criticising Beijing's actions in the hotly disputed South China Sea. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meeting ASEAN leaders before the full summit, reiterated calls for freedom of navigation in the bustling waterway. "We remain concerned about China's increasingly dangerous and unlawful actions on the South and East China Seas, which have injured people, harmed vessels from ASEAN nations and contradict commitments to peaceful resolution of disputes," Blinken said.
China has deployed military and coast guard vessels in recent months in a bid to eject the Philippines from a trio of strategically important reefs and islands in the South China Sea. It has also been ratcheting up pressure over a disputed island group controlled by Japan in the East China Sea, rattling Tokyo and its allies.
Blinken also warned China over Taiwan, where the new leader delivered an annual speech in which he vowed that the self-governing democracy would resist annexation. "China should not use it in any fashion as a pretext for provocative actions," Blinken told reporters.
Source: philstar.com
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