U.S. President Joe Biden told Asian leaders on Sunday that U.S. communication lines with China would stay open to prevent conflict, as the first of three summits of world leaders this week ended, with tense talks almost certain in the days ahead.
Biden during an address to the East Asia Summit in Cambodia, said the United States would "compete vigorously" with Beijing while "ensuring competition does not veer into conflict", stressing the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait.
The Southeast Asia region is also hosting the Group of 20 (G20) Summit in Indonesia's Bali this week, ahead of which Biden will meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for the first time since taking office, with relations between the two superpowers at their worst in decades.
Also watch: At least 4 dead, many injured as major explosion rocks Istanbul
Biden also called on Myanmar's military rulers to follow a peace plan they agreed to with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), while condemning North Korea's missile launches and Russia's "brutal and unjust" invasion of Ukraine.