Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party’s Foreign Affairs Commission and member of its Politburo, Wang Yi, made the appeal during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers’ meeting being held in Indonesia.
According to the Xinhua News Agency, the senior diplomat called on other members to adhere to openness and inclusivity in addition to promoting shared security.
In this sense, he rejected the so-called Asia-Pacific version of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which foments confrontation in the region.
The Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, whose aims broadly align with those of the United Nations Charter, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Spirit of Bandung, should regulate ties between states in the region, he added.
Wang advocated multilateralism, pragmatic cooperation and cooperative security to enhance mutual trust and shared benefits.
Another time, the diplomat insisted on the peaceful settlement of regional disputes through friendly consultations between the countries directly concerned, a principle contained in the statement on the parties’ behavior in the South China Sea.
Wang stressed that Beijing and ASEAN do not need condescending trainers; both sides would have self-confidence, wisdom and the ability to solve their problems properly through joint efforts.
Parallel to this event, the Asian diplomat met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken the day before for the second time in a month, with whom he discussed the current situation of deteriorating bilateral relations.
Among other things, Wang reminded the US official that Taiwan is an internal matter of China and does not tolerate outside interference.
Wang also held a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, where both sides reiterated their support for multilateralism and ASEAN development.
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