(Bloomberg) -- US State Secretary Antony Blinken and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the need for stability between the two countries during a meeting in which they discussed security issues ranging from Taiwan to tensions in the South China Sea.
During the meeting on the sidelines of a regional forum in the Laos capital of Vientiane that lasted over an hour, the two envoys pledged to make progress on military communications, according to a senior US State Department official. They also discussed a recent Chinese agreement with the Philippines on vessel movements in the South China Sea.
Wang made clear to Blinken that China objects to what it views as US attempts to constrain it on a number of policies, the official said, without elaborating. Chip controls were not raised specifically in the Saturday meeting.
The meeting comes as Washington and Beijing seek to keep up communications and avoid actions that could spark a conflict. Blinken set off for Vietnam on Saturday as part of a swing through Asia that will also take him to Tokyo, Singapore and Mongolia.
Speaking to his Southeast Asian counterparts during a forum in Laos earlier on Saturday, Blinken touted what he called an “unprecedented expansion” of regional ties over the past three years under President Joe Biden seen as part of a strategy to contain China.
That has included expanding its military base access in the Philippines and a recent arms sale to Taiwan that saw Beijing sanction six American defense companies.
But tensions were also apparent during the forum despite the de-escalatory words.
While Blinken welcomed an understanding between Manila and Beijing over the resupply of Philippine troops stationed on a dilapidated World Ward II-era ship in the South China Sea, he also condemned what he called “escalatory and unlawful actions” on the part of China against the Philippines.
Wang meanwhile accused Manila of repeatedly breaking a consensus over the dispute during a meeting on Friday with Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo. Some Southeast Asian leaders also expressed concerns regarding “serious incidents” in the South China Sea, according to a joint communique released on Saturday.
(Updates throughout)
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