The United States hailed "open and productive" discussions between China's foreign minister and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Laos yesterday in which Blinken raised US concerns over Beijing's "provocative actions" around Taiwan.
Blinken's stop in Laos is part of a multi-nation Asia visit aimed at reinforcing regional ties in the face of Beijing's growing assertiveness, including in the South China Sea, and its deepening ties with Moscow.
The talks on the sidelines of a foreign ministers meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) lasted for one hour and twenty minutes, according to a senior State Department official.
Blinken raised "US concerns about provocative actions" by China, including a simulated blockade of Taiwan following the May inauguration of its new president Lai Ching-te, the official said.
China claims the democratic island as its territory and slammed Lai's inauguration speech as "confession of independence."
China's foreign ministry was yet to release a statement on the meeting.
Beijing claims the South China sea-- through which trillions of dollars of trade passes annually -- almost in its entirety despite an international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
The clashes with Philippines have fuelled fears of a conflict that could drag in the United States due to its mutual defence treaty with Manila.
Yesterday, Manila said it had successfully resupplied troops on the Second Thomas Shoal -- the focus of clashes in recent months -- under a deal agreed with Beijing.
On Friday Wang called on the Philippines to "honour its commitments" under the deal rather than "backtracking or creating complications," warning Beijing would "respond resolutely" to any violation.
Wang also warned the Philippines over deploying a US medium-range missile system on its soil, saying it would "create tension and confrontation in the region and trigger an arms race."
The US Army said in April it had deployed the Mid-Range Capability missile system in the northern Philippines for annual joint military exercises.
Philippines military officials later said the system would be removed from the country.
