Washington and Beijing have been vying for influence in the region, which hosts potential flashpoints such as the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula and the Taiwan Strait. "China can and should have a cooperative relationship with the rest of the region ... But behaviour that erodes other nations' sovereignty and sows distrust of China's intentions must end," acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan told the forum. Washington has been pushing back against Beijing's aggressive militarisation of the South China Sea, where China rejects the conflicting territorial claims of Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. For the first time since 2011, China has sent its defence minister, General Wei Fenghe, to the Singapore gathering.

Source: Bangkok Post June 01, 2019 06:11 UTC