VIENTIANE, July 28 – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi remained at odds on issues such as the South China Sea and Taiwan. Still, the US State Department said both sides recognized the importance of maintaining open lines of communication.
The two officials met in Laos on Saturday on the margins of meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The State Department said Blinken raised concerns about Beijing’s “destabilizing actions” in the South China Sea, including at the Second Thomas Shoal.
China’s foreign ministry says Wang explained that Beijing had reached a deal with Manila on a temporary arrangement to manage the situation. It says he urged the US not to stir up trouble or undermine maritime stability regarding the shoal.
Wang said that the South China Sea is one of the safest and freest maritime routes in the world, and there is no need to worry about freedom of navigation and overflight.
