The head of Chinese diplomacy, Wang Yi, asked US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday for Washington to act “rationally” and “pragmatically” to improve relations with Beijing.
Both are in Jakarta participating in a meeting between the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which brings together 10 countries, and external partners.
The director of the Office of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Communist Party of China urged the United States not to interfere in China’s internal affairs, referring to Taiwan, and to stop attacking China in the areas of economy, trade or technology, through the imposition of “illegal sanctions”.
In a statement, Wang Yi explained that the meeting was held at the request of the US and both sides agreed that it was honest, pragmatic and constructive.
Among the main issues of friction stands out the autonomous island of Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory, to be reunified, by force, if necessary.
The United States is Taiwan’s main ally and arms supplier.
China increased the scale and frequency of military exercises near Taiwan and became more assertive in its territorial claims in the South China Sea, while the United States placed barriers to Beijing’s access to semiconductor chips, essential components. in high-tech manufacturing.
The meeting came two days after Microsoft denounced an attack from a computer supposedly located in China against the electronic correspondence of several US state agencies.
The Jakarta talks come nearly a month after Blinken traveled to Beijing, the first visit by the top US diplomat in nearly five years.
Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was also in Beijing last week, aiming to improve relations.
The war in Ukraine, the crisis in Myanmar (formerly Burma), the nuclear threat from North Korea and the territorial disputes over the sovereignty of the South China Sea, between Beijing and several neighboring countries, are some of the issues being debated. at the ASEAN meeting, which ends today.
Wang and Blinken, as well as senior foreign representatives from the European Union and countries such as Russia, India, Japan, South Korea and Australia, among others, also participate in multilateral meetings.
Founded in 1967, ASEAN is made up of the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar and has already established a roadmap for the inclusion of Timor-Leste.
Source: TSF
