China, Southeast Asian leaders seek greater cooperation
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Leaders from China and five neighboring Southeast Asian countries are meeting in a southern Chinese resort city this week amid wariness but also hope for greater regional cooperation.
The inaugural Lancang-Mekong Cooperation meeting has been framed by the Chinese and Thai co-hosts as a chance to deepen ties and cut trade deals in a fast-growing region.
Southeast Asia represents a key market under a sweeping Chinese strategy to boost trade and foreign investment called "One Belt, One Road." China has wooed the region with eye-catching projects including a textile-making hub in Cambodia, a deep sea port in Myanmar and new railways in Thailand.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
But several countries have expressed concern about their giant neighbor's rise, including Vietnam, which has competing maritime claims in the South China Sea.