Beijing warns of protectionism, militarization

Growing protectionist sentiment and the fomenting of militarization by outside forces are two major negative factors plaguing East Asia, warned State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Countries from outside the region, particularly the United States, have frequently mobilized massive strategic weapons in the region, especially in the South China Sea, to flex their muscles, Wang told reporters in Singapore on Saturday.

This "constitutes a security threat and pressure on the region's countries, including China, and has become the biggest driving force behind militarization in the region", Wang said on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Foreign Ministers' Meeting.