PHNOM PENH (AP) – Cambodian leader Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen called for unity yesterday, telling a gathering including Russia, China and the United States (US) that current global tensions have been taking a toll on everyone.
The prime minister, whose country holds the rotating chair of the ASEAN, said at the opening of the East Asia Summit that it was in the world’s common interest to cooperate to solve differences peacefully. Without singling out any nation by name, Hun Sen said he hoped leaders would embrace a “spirit of togetherness in upholding open and inclusive multilateralism, pragmatism and mutual respect in addressing the existential and strategic challenges we all face”.
“Many current challenges and tensions have been hindering our past hard-earned efforts to promote sustainable development and causing greater hardship to people’s lives,” he said as he opened the meeting, which was running in parallel to the ASEAN group’s main summit.
Participants included US President Joe Biden and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, and it comes just a day before the highly anticipated meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Bali, Indonesia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also took part in the meetings, which included the leaders of Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan and others.
On Saturday, Biden promised that the US would work with ASEAN, telling leaders of the strategically vital coalition that “we’re going to build a better future that we all want to see” in the region where China is also working to expand its influence.
He promised to collaborate to build a region that is “free and open, stable and prosperous, resilient and secure”.
“I look forward to continuing our work together with ASEAN and with each one of you to deepen peace and prosperity throughout the region to resolve challenges from territorial disputes to Myanmar and to find innovative solutions to shared challenges,” Biden said, citing climate and health security among areas of collaboration.
Li Keqiang, meantime, told a meeting of ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea that amid a “turbulent” global security situation, “unilateralism and protectionism are surging, economic and financial risks are rising, and global development is confronted with unprecedented challenges”.