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Chinese Foreign Minister to embark on Southeast Asia tour

Chinese Foreign Minister to embark on Southeast Asia tour

BEIJING: China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia this week, Beijing said today (Aug 9) as it seeks to build ties in the region.


By AFP

Wednesday 9 August 2023 04:23 PM


China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Photo: AFP

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Photo: AFP

Wang, who returned to the post last month after the unexplained disappearance of predecessor Qin Gang, will travel to the three countries from tomorrow to Sunday, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.

“China hopes to strengthen strategic communication with the three Southeast Asian countries through this visit,” the foreign ministry said.

Cambodia has become one of China’s strongest allies in the region under the rule of outgoing ruler Hun Sen, receiving huge sums of Chinese investment.

But the flood of Chinese money has brought problems, including a rash of casinos and online scam operations staffed by foreign workers.

China’s relations with Southeast Asia have been complicated by self-proclaimed control over most of the South China Sea despite competing claims from nations including Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia.

Maritime disagreements have pitted some members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) against Beijing and boosted sympathy for US opposition to China’s growing assertiveness. Others have backed Beijing.

Singapore has for decades juggled ties with China and the US, engaging in an increasingly delicate balancing act amid the growing rivalry between the two powers across the Asia-Pacific.