China's Premier Li Qiang has called for major powers to resist the emergence of a new Cold War, with indirect reference to the United States, as high-level officials from Asia and the US gather in Indonesia for talks. Beijing has expressed concerns about US-backed alliances forming in its vicinity, all while grappling with disputes over the South China Sea and other regional issues.Li Qiang stated at the beginning of an ASEAN-plus-three meeting with Japan and South Korea in Jakarta that "Disagreements and disputes may arise between countries due to misperceptions, diverging interests, or external interferences. To keep differences under control, what is essential now is to oppose picking sides, to oppose bloc confrontation, and to oppose a new Cold War."The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), comprising 10 member countries, is holding separate summits with China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and Canada, providing a platform for major powers to engage with the bloc and address their rivalries.US Vice President Kamala Harris is representing President Joe Biden, while Li is participating on behalf of President Xi Jinping. These meetings precede the 18-member East Asia Summit scheduled for Thursday, where broader geopolitical issues are expected to take precedence.Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol are attending both days of meetings, and President Yoon reportedly stressed the importance of not cooperating with North Korea during discussions with ASEAN leaders. This comes as the US revealed that North Korea is engaging in arms talks with Russia.Host country Indonesia emphasized during an ASEAN leaders' summit that the bloc should not become a battleground for big power competition. Tensions between the US and China persist over issues such as Taiwan, the South China Sea, and Russia's Ukraine invasion.The meeting involving Russia's Sergei Lavrov and US Vice President Harris will be the first high-level US-Russia encounter since a foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta in July, where US and European officials criticized Moscow over the Ukraine conflict.A Southeast Asian diplomat present at Wednesday's meetings suggested that they would conclude with joint statements emphasizing closer diplomatic, economic, and food security cooperation between the major powers and ASEAN.ASEAN leaders will also host summits on Thursday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.The situation in Myanmar will be a significant topic during the summits, given China's diplomatic support for the junta in Myanmar. Southeast Asian leaders strongly condemned violence and attacks on civilians in Myanmar and directly blamed the junta for the unrest.China recently stirred controversy by releasing a new official map claiming sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, which drew sharp rebukes from neighboring countries like Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Japan has also lodged a strong protest against Beijing over the map, calling for its retraction.The draft ASEAN chair statement indicates that leaders will express concern over land reclamations, activities, and serious incidents in the disputed South China Sea. However, experts believe that ASEAN leaders are likely to avoid addressing confrontational issues directly with China to prevent angering Beijing.
