The Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was held online, and it seems that opinions were exchanged on issues such as the South China Sea, where China is intensifying its movement to advance into the ocean.
The first US-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting since the inauguration of the Biden administration was held online on the morning of the 14th of Japan time.
The details of the meeting have not been clarified, but it seems that opinions were exchanged on the issues of the South China Sea and the situation in Myanmar as China intensified its movement to advance into the ocean.
"The Indo-Pacific region has various benefits and is vitally important to us," said US State Department spokesman Price at a press conference prior to the conference on the 13th. It will confirm the important role of ASEAN. "
Regarding the South China Sea, China claims interests in almost the entire area and is vying for sovereignty with some ASEAN countries, but the Biden administration has put forward "freedom of navigation", saying that China's claim is illegal. , Strengthening the attitude of involvement.
It seems that the Biden administration wants to hurry to strengthen relations with ASEAN in order to counter China, but there is also a perception on the ASEAN side that the region was neglected under the previous Trump administration. , We are poised to carefully assess the response of the Biden administration.