US eyes counter-China moves in Southeast Asia

By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer

BANGKOK (AP) — The Biden administration is moving to strengthen ties with key Southeast Asian ally Thailand as it presses ahead with efforts to counter China’s push for influence in the region. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed two cooperation agreements with his Thai counterpart on Sunday, pledging to expand strategic cooperation. While modest, the deals fit into the administration’s broader strategy for the Indo-Pacific, which is aimed at blunting China’s increasing assertiveness and offering alternatives to Beijing-sponsored development. Blinken went to Bangkok after attending an international conference in Indonesia, where he also raised concerns about China’s increasing assertiveness and its backing for Russia’s war in Ukraine.