Regional Tensions Simmer as Rubio Meets Wang in Manila The recent gathering of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Manila has exposed the complex web of tensions and rivalries that define the region's geopolitics.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is a prime example, as the two sides confronted their differences on contentious issues such as the South China Sea dispute and the escalating conflict between the US and Iran.
Rubio's comments at the ASEAN meeting, where he squarely blamed Iran for blocking serious talks, indicate the US approach to regional diplomacy.