Chinese FM Wang Yi to Embark on Southeast Asia Tour 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi poses as he meets Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (not seen) in Ankara, Türkiye, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi poses as he meets Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (not seen) in Ankara, Türkiye, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)
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Chinese FM Wang Yi to Embark on Southeast Asia Tour 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi poses as he meets Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (not seen) in Ankara, Türkiye, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi poses as he meets Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (not seen) in Ankara, Türkiye, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia this week, Beijing said on Wednesday as it seeks to build ties in the region.

Wang, who returned to the post last month after the unexplained disappearance of predecessor Qin Gang, will travel to the three countries from Thursday to Sunday, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.

"China hopes to strengthen strategic communication with the three Southeast Asian countries through this visit," the foreign ministry said.

Cambodia has become one of China's strongest allies in the region under the rule of outgoing ruler Hun Sen, receiving huge sums of Chinese investment.

China's relations with Southeast Asia have been complicated by self-proclaimed control over most of the South China Sea despite competing claims from nations including Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia.

Maritime disagreements have pitted some members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) against Beijing and boosted sympathy for US opposition to China's growing assertiveness. Others have backed Beijing.

Singapore has for decades juggled ties with China and the US, engaging in an increasingly delicate balancing act amid the growing rivalry between the two powers across the Asia-Pacific.



Russia’s Lavrov: Why Would Europe Be at Ukraine Talks if They Want War to Carry On? 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (C) attends a meeting with his Serbian counterpart Marko Djuric in Moscow, Russia, 17 February 2025. (EPA)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (C) attends a meeting with his Serbian counterpart Marko Djuric in Moscow, Russia, 17 February 2025. (EPA)
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Russia’s Lavrov: Why Would Europe Be at Ukraine Talks if They Want War to Carry On? 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (C) attends a meeting with his Serbian counterpart Marko Djuric in Moscow, Russia, 17 February 2025. (EPA)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (C) attends a meeting with his Serbian counterpart Marko Djuric in Moscow, Russia, 17 February 2025. (EPA)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov asked on Monday why Europe would be invited to join possible talks on a peace settlement in Ukraine if European politicians want the war to carry on.

Speaking at a news conference with his Serbian counterpart ahead of US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Lavrov said that Europe had already had several chances to be involved in a settlement on Ukraine and that he didn't know how European states would contribute if they were invited to the negotiating table given their stance on the war.

There are different views on Ukraine among European politicians, but most say they want what they call "a just and lasting peace."