Major powers criticized China for what the US called “dangerous and aggressive” naval maneuvers, with regional tensions set to dominate today’s meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers.
China blamed the Philippines for the clash at Scarborough Shoal, a disputed part of the South China Sea; Washington, Canberra, Tokyo and others pointed the finger at Beijing.
Asian powers — notably Australia and Japan — have been deepening continental ties over what they see as an aggressive China. And while their efforts have largely been welcomed by Western analysts, one expert warned on the Foreign Affairs podcast that because these nations were trying to fill a perceived void left by the US, “it’s a sign of the atrophy of the alliance system.”
