Blinken Fills In For Biden At Southeast Asia Summit

6 weeks ago Southeast Asian leaders are meeting at an annual forum that will focus on the civil war in Myanmar and territorial tensions in the South China Sea, two challenges that have long tested the bloc's credibility. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Laos will be followed by meetings with global powers including China, the United States and Russia, which are contending for influence in the region. The meetings in Vientiane are also likely to touch on the wars in the Middle East. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will fill in for President Joe Biden at the meetings, while China will be represented by Premier Li Qiang.