Japan, China Both Court ASEAN Countries as Part of Burgeoning Battle for Influence in Southeast Asia

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (top) delivered the keynote address at the ASEAN-Japana summit in Tokyo while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (below) held talks with ASEAN diplomats in Beijing. Images via AFP and Xinhua.

Both Japan and China held a series of events with senior leaders from the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in recent days as part of a ramped-up effort to increase their respective influence in Southeast Asia.

On Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with ambassadors and other high-level ASEAN representatives in Beijing for what appeared to be little more than a photo opportunity and the chance for Wang to remind ASEAN that China seeks closer ties with its regional neighbors.

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by Eric Olander

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