Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday warned against attempts to create rifts in the Indo-Pacific region, apparently taking aim at a recent trilateral summit between the United States, Japan and the Philippines.
"We must be highly vigilant about various small circles formed in the region and oppose any attempt to create confrontation" between groups of nations, Wang Yi told reporters after his talks with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi, stressing the need for the two countries to work to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met in Washington and agreed to advance their defense and economic cooperation, in a move aimed at pushing back against China's ambitions in the region.
Wang's visit to Indonesia comes as China bolsters its diplomacy with the Southeast Asia country amid intensifying competition with the United States for influence in the region.
During the Thursday talks, Wang and Retno raised the issue of the Israel-Hamas conflict and expressed their support for Palestine's fresh bid for full membership in the United Nations, the top diplomats of the two countries said.
Regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip, Retno said, "I am sure that China will use its influence to prevent escalation" of the conflict.
Indonesia and China have deepened their cooperation through Beijing's Belt and Road infrastructure project and other initiatives. The Southeast Asia country's President-elect Prabowo Subianto earlier this month went to China and met Chinese President Xi Jinping.
