The United States and China have rival visions for the entangled Asia-Pacific region

SINGAPORE – The United States and China have offered rival visions for the Asia-Pacific region at the Southeast Asian countries summit whose economies and strategic interests are closely linked, the vice president said. Mike Pence declaring that there was no room for "an empire or aggression" in the area.

Pence highlighted the US's "firm and enduring" commitment in the region when he met with the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at their annual summit at Singapore.

"Our vision for the Indo-Pacific does not exclude any nation. It only requires that each nation treat its neighbors with respect, respect the sovereignty of our nations and the rules of the international order, "said Mr. Pence in a veiled gesture of growing influence and military expansion of China in the South China Sea.

He replaces President Donald Trump at the ASEAN meeting and at another summit later this week in Papua New Guinea.

The ASEAN meetings focus on strengthening trade and security in an area of ​​more than 630 million people. They concluded Thursday with leaders claiming to have made progress in areas such as cybersecurity, e-commerce and a free trade pact, the final draft of which was postponed until next year after more than six years of negotiations. .

Many of these leaders will travel to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in Papua New Guinea, where many of the same issues will be on the agenda.

During his stay in Singapore, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sought to rebadure China's neighbors about the growing scope of its activities, both economic and military, throughout the region.

In a separate meeting with ASEAN leaders, he urged them to help rebadure the global markets subject to US trade policies, including imposing punitive tariffs on Chinese goods of several billion dollars.

Countries in Southeast Asia and other countries in the region share China's dismay at the rejection of the multilateral trade regimes by the Trump government and the global trading system that helped them modernize and enrich their economies. savings. Many of the leaders attending meetings in Singapore emphasized the need to fight protectionism and protect the rules that govern world trade.

The region must "take concrete steps to enforce the rules-based free trade regime and send a message – a positive message – to the market to create stable, predictable and law-based conditions," said M Li.

Conflict management in the South China Sea is a constant concern. China is opposed to its small neighbors in multiple conflicts at sea over coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global trade and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves.

The region is a potential flashpoint and a major concern for the United States and other countries that rely on the right of pbadage for navigation.

ASEAN leaders said they discussed the need for restraint in the region.

"We have all agreed on ways not to increase tensions in the South China Sea. And that means not bringing in warships and allowing freedom of navigation, "Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed told reporters. "Small patrol boats are mainly needed to fight piracy, but large warships can be at the origin of incidents, which can cause tension."

Asked about the reaction of the United States, which was committed by treaty to defend the allies of the region, he replied: "Mr. Pence seems quite reasonable and he says that President Trump is concerned about the situation. "

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who eased his country's stance on China's claims to the islands, also said Manila said it was also crucial that the countries involved complete the development of the islands. 39, a "code of conduct" aimed at avoiding misunderstandings that could lead to conflict.

"China is here. That's the reality, "he told reporters before joining the morning's meetings. "An intense military activity will prompt China to react. I do not mind everyone going to war, except that the Philippines is right next to those islands. If there is shooting there, my country will be the first to suffer. "

Thursday's meetings followed numerous bilateral meetings between leaders and discussions on other issues such as environmental concerns, disaster coping mechanisms and the crisis of hundreds of thousands of Muslims. Rohingya origin who fled to Bangladesh to escape the violence in Myanmar.

Although the rally was generally focused on cooperation and goodwill, Pence and Mahathir sent the public unusually strong comments from the Rohingya people of Rohingya on the Rohingya people.

More than 700,000 Rohingya have fled from Rakhine State, western Myanmar, to escape the badbadination and destruction of their homes by the country's armed forces and militia, resulting in widespread condemnation and international genocide charges against Myanmar.

Asked if Suu Kyi had accepted his direct request to pardon two imprisoned Myanmar journalists from Reuters, Pence replied, "We did not get a clear answer on this." He said Suu Kyi had given details about the appeal procedure and the court proceedings. treatment of their cases.

Members of ASEAN are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Its annual summit includes meetings with various other nations.

Next year's summit is planned for Thailand, whose capital, Bangkok, was the venue of the 1967 meeting that founded the ASEAN group.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed.