WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2020) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) discussed issues related to the Chinese military buildup in the South China Sea and North Korea's nuclear weapons program during the East Asia Summit this week, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a press release.
"Secretary Pompeo joined several ASEAN countries and many other partners in raising concerns over the PRC's aggressive actions in the South China Sea," Ortagus said in the release on Wednesday. "He reiterated that the United States, in line with the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Award, regards Beijing's expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea as unlawful."
Ortagus also said Pompeo and his ASEAN counterparts also discussed the controversial national security legislation adopted by Hong Kong and the postponement of elections in the territory.
Pompeo and his partners also discussed the need for North Korea to abandon its nuclear ballistic missile programs in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, Ortagus said.
Moreover, Pompeo affirmed the United States' commitment to partner with ASEAN countries to help in their economic recovery efforts from the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Ortagus said.
