China stresses ties with Southeast Asia in Cambodia meeting

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — (AP) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed his country's efforts to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian countries at a meeting Thursday with their foreign ministers, which came as Beijing seeks to expand its influence in the region. Wang's talks with top diplomats from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations were held amid high tensions in the region, following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, which has infuriated Beijing.

The group issued a strong statement earlier in the day, urging both the U.S. and China to show “maximum restraint” in the wake of the visit and “refrain from provocative action.” China claims the self-governing island of Taiwan as its territory and opposes any engagement by Taiwanese officials with foreign governments. In his opening remarks, Wang did not mention the situation but instead stressed how China and ASEAN countries have strengthened cooperation in recent years.

“We have safeguarded the oasis of peace in the face of the turbulence in the international security situation,” he said. ASEAN is made up of Brunei, Cambodia,

Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.. China has become one of the biggest lenders to developing countries through its Belt and Road Initiative to expand trade by building ports, railways and other infrastructure across Asia, Africa and the Middle East to Europe.

read more https://www.wftv.com/news/world/china-stresses-ties/MAWDFQFKXYZLLEGWFPISELWXCA/