China emphasizes ties with Southeast Asia in Cambodia meet

By DAVID RISING
Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is stressing his country’s efforts to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian nations at a meeting with their foreign ministers, which comes as Beijing seeks to expand its influence in the region. Wang’s talks with top diplomats from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Thursday were held amid high tensions in the region, following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, which has infuriated Beijing. In his opening remarks, Wang did not mention the situation but instead emphasized how China and the ASEAN countries had strengthened cooperation in recent years.