US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on China to stop aggressive movements in the Indo-Pacific. Blinken said that during a visit to the region, the US hopes to strengthen alliances against China’s growing power.
“Marking open seas as your own and disrupting open markets through subsidies to state-run companies.
Stopping exports and cancelling agreements for countries whose policies you don’t like,” Blinken mentioned as examples during a speech in Indonesia. “Countries in the region want this behaviour to change, and so do we.”
Blinken said the US is advocating for a free and open Indo-Pacific region and that the country wants to strengthen ties with Japan, Australia, Thailand and Indonesia.
He also said it is in the interest of all countries to keep the region free from coercion and intimidation and that the US and allies will lead the Myanmar junta to end violence, release prisoners and restore democracy.