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South China Sea: Beijing ‘ready to work with Asean’, defence chief says Shi Jiangtao jiangtao.shi@scmp.com General Wei Fenghe said China was ready to work with Southeast Asian nations “to build a closer community with a shared future”. Photo: AP
China s defence minister pledged to work with Southeast Asian nations to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, ahead of talks with 17 regional counterparts, including from the US, on Thursday.
General Wei Fenghe made the remarks in a virtual meeting with defence chiefs from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Wednesday, in an apparent bid to stabilise relations with China s neighbours as its rivalry with the US intensifies over the disputed waters.