VIENTIANE, Laos—Secretive, communist-run Laos hosts U.S. President Barack Obama and leaders from China and Russia next week. How this tiny, landlocked country handles the annual East Asia summit could go a long way to shaping the complex interactions between China, America and Asian nations competing with Beijing for territory in the South China Sea. The host nation at these diplomatic contests typically plays a significant role in defining the agenda. When Vietnam was the chair in 2010, it infuriated China—and delighted...

Source: Wall Street Journal September 02, 2016 05:49 UTC