U.S., China spar over freedom of seas at regional summit

NONTHABURI, THAILAND — The rivalry between the United States and China over influence in the Asia-Pacific region was on show Monday as the two superpowers traded barbs over freedom of navigation in the region’s seas.

The war of words took place at the annual summit of leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, hosted this year by Thailand. The meeting allows Southeast Asian leaders to deal as a bloc with the world’s major powers, leveraging their influence in making security and trade arrangements.

At the same time, the meeting serves to highlight the rivalry between the U.S. and China, which both seek to strengthen their clout in the geopolitically important region.

On Friday the two countries repeated familiar charges — Beijing accusing Washington of interfering in Asian affairs, and Washington accusing Beijing of violating the law of the sea and encroaching on the natural resources of other countries.

Washington found itself handicapped as President Donald Trump did not attend the meeting, sending in his place neither Vice President Mike Pence nor Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, but instead his recently appointed national secu- rity adviser, Robert O’Brien.

Other major powers sent their heads of government. Those attending as guests of ASEAN included Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

Washing- ton’s diplo- matic move was underlined when seven of the Southeast Asian lead- ers skipped an important meeting with O’Brien, send- ing instead their foreign min- isters. Their action was technically appropriate in terms of diplomatic protocol for a meeting with O’Brien, who Trump anointed his “spe- cial envoy” to the meeting in Bangkok.

American officials, fearing a boycott, urged all Southeast Asian heads of state to attend Monday’s meeting. But ASEAN leaders decided to send only Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha as host, the Vietnamese prime minister as host of next year’s summit and the leader of Laos, who oversees ASEAN-U.S. relations, a Southeast Asian diplomat told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he lacked authorization to discuss the issue.

During the meeting, O’Brien read a letter from Trump, who invited ASEAN leaders to a “special summit” in the U.S. early next year.

Robert O’Brien