Seize the ‘Asian moment’, China tells Cambodia ahead of US-Asean summit

Asian countries should resist efforts to sow discord in the region, Chinese foreign minister says

China supports Cambodia’s rotating chairmanship of Asean this year, he says

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn via video link on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 5:10pm, 9 May 2022Updated: 5:31pm, 9 May 2022

Asian countries should be cautious and resist any attempts to provoke confrontation in the region, China’s foreign minister told his Cambodian counterpart in the countdown to a Southeast Asian leaders summit in Washington this week.

Speaking with Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn via video link on Sunday, Wang Yi also urged the region to seize the “Asian moment” and take the initiative in global governance as it prepares to host several high-profile multilateral meetings.

The meetings include the BRICS summit in China, the East Asia Summit meetings in Cambodia and the G20 summit in Indonesia. Thailand is also hosting this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings.

“Faced with the choice between unity or division, cooperation or confrontation … global governance has entered the ‘Asian moment’ and the international community is looking to Asia to play a leading role in this regard,” Wang said, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

“China believes that the world should listen more to Asian voices, respect Asian positions and draw on Asian wisdom at this time,” Wang said, adding that China would support Cambodia in playing “an unique and constructive” role in this as it chairs Asean this year.

In addition, China would closely work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to deepen cooperation, particularly in digital connectivity, the green economy, public health and supply chain resilience, Wang said.

Seize the ‘Asian moment’, China tells Cambodia ahead of US-Asean summit

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Asian countries should resist efforts to sow discord in the region, Chinese foreign minister says China supports Cambodia’s rotating chairmanship of Asean this year, he says

Asian countries should resist efforts to sow discord in the region, Chinese foreign minister says

China supports Cambodia’s rotating chairmanship of Asean this year, he says