China Urges Major Powers To Reject New Cold War

During a series of regional diplomatic meetings in Indonesia, China's Premier, Li Qiang, has made an appeal for major powers to resist the onset of a new Cold War, with a thinly veiled reference to the United States. The gatherings have brought together top officials from Asia and the United States, sparking discussions on various regional and global issues. China has voiced its concerns about the formation of US-backed blocs in its vicinity, while also grappling with disputes with other regional powers, particularly over the South China Sea and related matters. Speaking at the commencement of an ASEAN-plus-three meeting that included Japan and South Korea in Jakarta, Premier Li Qiang remarked, "Disagreements and disputes may arise between countries due to misperceptions, diverging interests or external interferences. To keep differences under control, what is essential now is to oppose picking sides, to oppose bloc confrontation, and to oppose a new Cold War." The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is hosting separate summits with several major powers, including China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and Canada. These summits provide a platform for significant powers to engage with the ASEAN bloc and address their respective rivalries. Vice President Kamala Harris is representing the United States at the meetings, while Premier Li participates on behalf of President Xi Jinping. The discussions come ahead of the East Asia Summit, which includes 18 member states, scheduled for Thursday. The summit is expected to address broader geopolitical issues, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is slated to attend. Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol are participating in both days of meetings. Yoon reportedly urged ASEAN leaders to refrain from cooperation with North Korea, following reports that North Korea has been engaged in arms talks with Russia. Yoon stated, "Any attempts to forge military cooperation with North Korea, which is acting to undermine peace in the international community, should be immediately stopped." One of the prominent issues in discussions between China and Japan is the release of treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant. Indonesia, the host country, affirmed during an ASEAN leaders' summit on Tuesday that the bloc would not serve as a proxy in the competition between major powers, as tensions persist between the US and China over issues such as Taiwan, the South China Sea, and Russia's Ukraine conflict. Notably, the roundtable discussion involving Lavrov and Harris marks the first high-level US-Russia encounter since a foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta in July, where US and European officials confronted Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. A Southeast Asian diplomat present at Wednesday's meetings revealed that they would conclude with joint statements focused on enhanced diplomatic, economic, and food security collaboration between the major powers and ASEAN. On Thursday, ASEAN leaders will host summits with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The ongoing situation in Myanmar is expected to be a central topic in discussions with China, a key diplomatic ally of the junta in Myanmar. Southeast Asian leaders strongly condemned violence and attacks on civilians in Myanmar on Tuesday, squarely placing blame on the junta. China drew criticism from several ASEAN members last week after releasing an official map asserting sovereignty over the majority of the South China Sea. This move elicited strong objections from nations including Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Japan lodged a "strong protest" against China regarding the map and called for its retraction, as confirmed by government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno. A draft ASEAN chair statement seen by AFP suggested that leaders will express concern over "land reclamations, activities, serious incidents" in the disputed South China Sea. However, experts anticipate that ASEAN leaders may tread carefully on sensitive issues like China's new map to avoid angering Beijing. Aleksius Jemadu, a foreign affairs expert at Indonesia's Pelita Harapan University, remarked, "I predict... the leaders will avoid discussing confrontational issues such as China's new map. They won't risk the relationship with big powers."