Xi says China will not seek dominance over Southeast Asia

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping says his country will not seek dominance over Southeast Asia or bully its smaller neighbors, despite a rise in regional frictions. Xi made the remarks Monday during a virtual conference with the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, known as ASEAN, marking the 30th anniversary of relations between the sides. China has repeatedly sought to overcome concerns about its rising power and influence, particularly its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea that overlaps with the claims of ASEAN members Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines. Xi’s remarks came days after Chinese coast guard ships blocked and sprayed a powerful stream of water at two Philippine boats carrying supplies to troops at a disputed South China Sea shoal.