Blinken Calls on China, ASEAN Countries to Hold Burma Accountable

Thailand's Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai (R), places a flower on the jacket of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken following remarks to the press after a Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok, Thailand, July 10, 2022. Stefani Reynolds/Pool via REUTERS

BANGKOK—U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday urged China and members of the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN to put pressure on the rulers of Burma (also known as Myanmar) to return to democracy and to hold it accountable to a peace deal agreed with the group.

“It is incumbent on China and in China’s interest to see Burma move back to the path it was on,” Blinken said, using the country’s former name.