National Development and Reform Commission pledges to support Yunnan with transport, logistics, energy and digital connection with southern neighbours.

China’s Vice-Foreign Minister for Asia Sun Weidong meets Daniel Kritenbrink, US Assistant Secretary of State, for ‘candid, in-depth and constructive consultation’ on regional issues, including Taiwan and maritime issues.

Experts warn Beijing’s tactic of using its Southeast Asian neighbour as a re-export centre may receive further scrutiny.

Srettha Thavisin has been in office for less than a month, but Washington already sees its best opportunity in two decades to get its alliance with Thailand back on track.

The Biden administration has rebuilt some trust, goodwill across Southeast Asia, but the summit snub will be ‘two steps forward, one step back’.

The US president is due to attend the Delhi G20 summit in September, but his presence at the Asean gathering the same month is in doubt.

The initiative is part of US President Joe Biden’s efforts to convince Asean that his administration wants to work with the region on its own merits, not just in the context of US-China competition.

‘He wants to elevate us to a major partner, along with Russia and China,’ the US president told a fundraiser, in reference to Vietnam’s Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong.

Washington’s distrust of Hun Sen and concerns about a possible Chinese military presence in Cambodia have affected Phnom Penh’s attempts to improve ties.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says his counterpart Sergey Lavrov focused on attacking Washington and ‘attributed every problem in the world’ to the US.

Indonesian President Widodo told foreign ministers attending the Asean Regional Forum that the meeting aimed to seek solutions rather than exacerbate geopolitical problems.

Thailand’s unilateral approach has undermined Asean’s centrality principle and the power of the bloc’s chair, Indonesia, to drive inclusive dialogue with Myanmar, observers note.

China’s foreign policy chief Wang Yi hails completion of second reading phase during visit to Indonesia

Readers discuss the contradictions in the US approach to China, and Beijing’s reaction to Japan’s decision to release treated radioactive waste water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean.

Senior envoy touts ‘shared view and vision for the region’ ahead of Antony Blinken’s visit to Jakarta, criticising Beijing’s ‘many irresponsible acts’.

Speaking at the Singapore security summit, the Pentagon chief said Washington is working together with its regional allies ‘more closely every day’.