【By Observer Net, Chen Sijia】On July 10 local time, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with foreign ministers from ASEAN member states as well as China, Russia, the United States and other countries attending. According to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong tried to win over ASEAN countries, and she stirred up the so-called "Chinese threat" at the meeting, claiming that the Asian region needs to achieve a "balance of power".

President Trump has warned several ASEAN countries, stating that if these countries are unwilling to reach trade agreements with the United States, the U.S. will impose high tariffs on them. Therefore, the economic impact of Trump's tariff policy has become one of the important topics discussed at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

Wong did not directly criticize the Trump administration's trade agenda, but she used the opportunity to promote Australia as a "trustworthy partner." In her speech, she said: "We believe that as partners and neighbors, we have a responsibility to contribute to a more just future for our region, which is a responsibility our government will not abandon."

Regarding the U.S. cutbacks in foreign aid, she claimed that Australia would adjust its direction and re-prioritize, "ensuring that we can meet the most urgent needs."

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, screenshot from video

Wong boasted that Australia removed tariff barriers in the 1980s, "Australia has long opened our economy to the region and the world, and I can assure you today that this will not change." However, she added that although the Trump administration wants the U.S. to play a "different role," the U.S. remains "crucial for stability in Asia."

She took the opportunity to stoke the so-called "Chinese threat," claiming that China's military exercises in the Western Pacific were an attempt to "change the balance of power." She stated: "China continues to exert strategic influence in our region and further project military power. We are concerned about the speed at which China's military strength is increasing."

Wong said that neither the U.S. nor other countries in the region want to engage in military confrontation with China, but Asia needs a "balance of power," "no country dominates, and no country is dominated."

Last month, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy's aircraft carrier Liaoning and Shandong carrier strike groups conducted training in the Western Pacific and other areas, testing the capabilities of the forces for distant sea defense and joint operations. Captain Wang Xuemeng, a naval officer and spokesperson for the Chinese Navy, stated on June 10 that this was a routine training organized according to the annual plan, aimed at continuously improving the ability to fulfill missions, which complies with relevant international laws and practices and is not targeted at specific countries or objectives.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian had previously stated that Asia is the common home of China and Asian countries. In recent years, with the joint efforts of regional countries, Asia has maintained rapid growth, becoming a global development hub and a green oasis of peaceful development. China always adheres to the neighborhood diplomacy concept of "friendship, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness," firmly opposes "camp confrontation," and never seeks so-called "sphere of influence." Relevant parties should not make malicious speculations or provoke relations between countries in the Asia-Pacific region based on Cold War thinking, but should do more things that are beneficial to the peace, stability, and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.

This article is an exclusive work of Observer Net. Without permission, it cannot be reprinted.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7525638486125298202/

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