US: Antony Blinken warns China to stop 'aggressive actions' in Indo-Pacific region

During his Southeast Asian tour on December 14, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China to stop "aggressive actions" in the Indo-Pacific region, as Washington looks to strengthen alliances against Beijing. Blinken made his remarks in Indonesia, the first stop on his Southeast Asian tour. After the turmoil and unpredictability of the Donald Trump era, President Joe Biden's government is attempting to repair relations and reestablish its influence in Asia.

Blinken said the US would work with friends and partners to protect the rules-based system and that countries should be able to pick their own course in a speech detailing the US policy to the Indo-Pacific.

"That's why there is so much concern, from Northeast Asia to Southeast Asia and from the Mekong River to the Pacific Islands, about Beijing's aggressive actions. Claiming open seas as their own. Distorting open markets through subsidies to its state-run companies. Denying the exports or revoking deals for countries whose policies it does not agree with," he claimed, Sputnik reported.

During his lecture at the University of Indonesia, he added that Washington is dedicated to ensuring freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and that Beijing's actions there threatened the annual flow of more than $3 trillion in trade. He further remarked that it's not about competition between a US-centric and China-centric region; the Indo-Pacific is its own region, and Washington wants to prevent war there. Blinken will travel to Malaysia and Thailand after Indonesia.

US-China relationship

The US-China relationship has deteriorated on a number of fronts, including cybersecurity and technological superiority, as well as human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Biden has largely echoed Trump's harsh attitude on China, identifying the Asian superpower as United States' greatest threat.

China claims practically the whole resource-rich South China Sea, with four Southeast Asian states and Taiwan making conflicting claims. Beijing has been accused of deploying anti-ship and anti-surface-to-air missiles in the area, despite a 2016 international tribunal judgement declaring Beijing's historical claim to most of the waters to be unfounded.

Tensions between the United States and China have risen over Taiwan, which China claims as its own and has pledged to recapture one day, by force if necessary. On the trip, Antony Blinken hopes to emphasise Southeast Asia's growing relevance in US foreign policy, despite the fact that his government is dealing with a slew of other challenges, from Iran to Russia.

Countries in the Indo-Pacific region are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain positive relations with both Beijing, a significant commercial partner, and Washington, which is critical to the region's security. Russia is also attempting to exert its power in the area.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP