REGION OF POTENTIAL FLASHPOINTS
Mr Blinken also took the opportunity to address other issues, such as tensions in the South and East China Seas and North Korea’s latest nuclear test.
“We must uphold the freedom of navigation in the South and East China Seas and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
Tensions between the US and its rival China have risen lately following clashes in the East China Sea between Beijing and Taiwan.
Meanwhile, the South China Sea is also hotly contested as China claims most parts of it, along with ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
ASEAN’s foreign ministers and China’s top diplomat also met in Jakarta a day earlier, where they agreed on guidelines to accelerate the negotiations of South China Sea’s code of conduct.
Later on Friday, Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi said sharpening rivalry continues to define the region.
She made the remarks during the 30th opening session of ASEAN’s Regional Forum (ARF), which focuses on security issues. The ARF consists of 27 countries and includes the US, China and Russia.
“Our region also hosts numerous potential flashpoints. This challenge is becoming more complicated with the evolving non-traditional security challenges such as terrorism, trafficking in-person and maritime piracy,” said Mdm Marsudi.
“We must turn trust deficit into strategic trust by continuing to promote norms of self-restraint and the non-use of force.”