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South China Sea: China’s defence minister heads to Brunei, Philippines after visits to Malaysia and Indonesia
- Sources said Wei Fenghe would head to two more Southeast Asian countries after his trips to Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur
- His trip comes as Asean meetings – to be attended by US Security of State Mike Pompeo – begin on Wednesday
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China’s defence minister Wei Fenghe on Tuesday met his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta, a day after visiting Malaysia’s leader in Kuala Lumpur, as Beijing seeks to balance US influence in the Asia-Pacific amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.
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Wei is set to visit Brunei next, followed by the Philippines, according to sources. The visits come just ahead of a series of virtual Asean meetings running from Wednesday through Saturday, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expected to attend.
While Indonesia is not a claimant in the South China Sea, it has clashed with Beijing over Chinese fishing ships entering its exclusive economic zone around the Natuna Islands and rejected the nine-dash line that China uses as a basis for its claims in the waters.
But Indonesia, which is facing recession while grappling with rising Covid-19 cases, has turned to a Chinese drug maker to secure a supply of its potential vaccine and continues to welcome Chinese investments for economic growth.
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Prabowo’s spokesman Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak told This Week in Asia that Wei’s visit was a “normal reciprocal courtesy call” made after the Indonesian defence minister visited China last year.
Dahnil said the ministers discussed the continuation of bilateral cooperation, and reiterated that Indonesia was “committed towards dialogue and peaceful [resolution]” in the South China Sea.
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