U.S. stands with SE Asian countries against China pressure - Blinken

[webfact 82,310]

U.S. stands with SE Asian countries against China pressure - Blinken

 

Newly confirmed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken removes his face mask as he arrives to hold his first press briefing at the State Department in Washington, U.S., January 27, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/Pool

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States rejects China's maritime claims in the South China Sea beyond what it is permitted under international law and stands with Southeast Asian countries resisting its pressure, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.

 

Blinken made the remarks in a call with Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin, the U.S. State Department said in a statement.

 

"Secretary Blinken pledged to stand with Southeast Asian claimants in the face of PRC pressure," it said, referring to the People's Republic of China.

 

China claims almost all of the energy-rich South China Sea, which is also a major trade route. The Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan have overlapping claims.

 

The United States has accused China of taking advantage of the distraction of the coronavirus pandemic to advance its presence in the South China Sea.

 

The State Department said Blinken, who took office this week in Democratic President Joe Biden's administration, "underscored that the United States rejects China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea to the extent they exceed the maritime zones that China is permitted to claim under international law."

 

U.S. relations with China deteriorated under former U.S. President Donald Trump over a variety of issues including the pandemic, Chinese policies in Hong Kong, Beijing's treatment of its Muslim minority and trade.

 

Two weeks ago, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Chinese officials and companies for alleged misdeeds in the South China Sea.

 

(Reporting by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Jacqueline Wong, Robert Birsel)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-28

 

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[Tug 22,404]

Good the Philippines have been a long time ally it’s good we stand shoulder to shoulder with them although I don’t think the Biden administration will be sucking up to Duarte like trump did lol

[John Drake 1,785]

53 minutes ago, webfact said:

U.S. stands with SE Asian countries against China pressure - Blinken

 

But how many of those SE Asian countries stand with the US?

[KarenBravo 10,620]

5 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

But how many of those SE Asian countries stand with the US?

 

Let's see.

Philippines.

Singapore.

Brunei.

Vietnam.

 

Malaysia and Indonesia seem a bit more non-aligned.

Myanmar and Cambodia are in the Chinese camp.

Not sure about Laos.

[John Drake 1,785]

1 hour ago, KarenBravo said:

 

Let's see.

Philippines.

Singapore.

Brunei.

Vietnam.

 

Malaysia and Indonesia seem a bit more non-aligned.

Myanmar and Cambodia are in the Chinese camp.

Not sure about Laos.

 

Short list. And Philippines depends. Don't count on Vietnam either. That seems too easy. China controls their water tap, and many of the older communists still have fond feelings for China instead of the US. Laos btw is virtually Chinese territory. I read a couple of years ago that up to 800,000 Chinese had simply taken up residence (sorry, no link to provide). In a country of 7 million, you can see how that will go.

[KarenBravo 10,620]

1 minute ago, John Drake said:

 

Short list. And Philippines depends. Don't count on Vietnam either. That seems too easy. China controls their water tap, and many of the older communists still have fond feelings for China instead of the US. Laos btw is virtually Chinese territory. I read a couple of years ago that up to 800,000 Chinese had simply taken up residence (sorry, no link to provide). In a country of 7 million, you can see how that will go.

 

The Vietnamese loathe the Chinese. They will stick with the US.

[pegman 7,793]

How do these man made islands compare to American territories in the West Pacific? 

[John Drake 1,785]

1 minute ago, KarenBravo said:

 

The Vietnamese loathe the Chinese. They will stick with the US.

 

Remember, you're not dealing with the veterans who in 1979 thumped the Chinese when they invaded. Like everyone else in the region, the Vietnamese are a lot softer than they used to be. Ho and Le Duan might have been willing to see 1000 of their people die for every single invader. Today? Hmmm.

[John Drake 1,785]

2 minutes ago, pegman said:

How do these man made islands compare to American territories in the West Pacific? 

 

NMI, Midway, Baker, Howland, Johnston, and American Samoa are real places. Not manufactured islands. They're also far, far away from the SCS.

[Ireland32 2,376]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

Good the Philippines have been a long time ally it’s good we stand shoulder to shoulder with them although I don’t think the Biden administration will be sucking up to Duarte like trump did lol

Durty Duterte stands with China he’s a Sellout 

[Ireland32 2,376]

36 minutes ago, pegman said:

How do these man made islands compare to American territories in the West Pacific? 

Gee I don’t know maybe , you should work it out in your head , Territory’s = man made military islands !!!

[Ireland32 2,376]

2 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

 

Let's see.

Philippines.

Singapore.

Brunei.

Vietnam.

 

Malaysia and Indonesia seem a bit more non-aligned.

Myanmar and Cambodia are in the Chinese camp.

Not sure about Laos.

Laos is Chinese 

[sscc 87]

3 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

 

Let's see.

Philippines.

Singapore.

Brunei.

Vietnam.

 

Malaysia and Indonesia seem a bit more non-aligned.

Myanmar and Cambodia are in the Chinese camp.

Not sure about Laos.

 

 

Above opinion was yours. 

BTW,   Is it a deliberation that Thailand IS NOT Included in your list ?

 

 

Below opinion is mine. 

 

Very friendly to China :                                                            Cambodia, Laos 

Generally friendly to China :                                                   Malaysia, Myanmar  

Preference for neutrality with no inclination to either :     Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia 

Oscillating from time to time :                                               Philippines, Vietnam  

( Unknown to my knowledge )  :    Brunei 

 

 

[KarenBravo 10,620]

10 minutes ago, sscc said:

 

 

Above opinion was yours. 

BTW,   Is it a deliberation that Thailand IS NOT Included in your list ?

 

 

Below opinion is mine. 

 

Very friendly to China :                                                            Cambodia, Laos 

Generally friendly to China :                                                   Malaysia, Myanmar  

Preference for neutrality with no inclination to either :     Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia 

Oscillating from time to time :                                               Philippines, Vietnam  

( Unknown to my knowledge )  :    Brunei 

 

 

 

Believe it, or not, I totally forgot about it, even though I live here.

Thailand definitely USA. After all, nearly all their military equipment is imported from there (except a crappy, non-functional submarine and a French aircraft carrier). Many US troops do jungle training here plus joint military exercises like Cobra Gold.

[jesimps 7,064]

Blinken heck!

I'll get my coat.