UPDATE 2-China warns Asian countries to be vigilant on U.S strategy

(Adds comments from Philippines military chief, paragraphs 11
and 12)
By Mei Mei Chu and Liz Lee
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Reuters) - The Chinese government's
top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, on Tuesday urged Asian
countries to remain "vigilant" over the risk of U.S. strategy
stoking geopolitical competition in the South China Sea and
other parts of the region.
Beijing and members of the Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN) should work together to remove "external
disruption" in the South China Sea, Wang said during a joint
news conference with Malaysia's foreign minister.
"We (China and Malaysia) are both of the view that the South
China Sea should not be a ground for major power wrestling
teeming with warships," said Wang, who is on a short Southeast
Asian tour.
"China and ASEAN have full capacity and wisdom, as well as
responsibility, to maintain peace and tranquillity in (the)
South China Sea."
Malaysia's Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said
maritime disputes should be resolved peacefully through regional
dialogue.
China has in recent months held military exercises in
disputed parts of the strategic waterway, while Washington has
accused Beijing of attempting to build a "maritime empire" in
the area.
Wang described Washington's "Indo-Pacific" strategy, which
aims to cast the United States as a trustworthy partner in the
region, as a "security risk" for East Asia.
"What it pursues is to trumpet the old-fashioned cold war
mentality and start up confrontation among different groups and
blocks, and stoke geopolitical competition," he said.
"I believe all parties sees this clearly and will stay
vigilant against it."
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has previously said
Washington wants a "free and open" Asia not dominated by any one
country.
The Philippines' top military commander said the U.S.-China
rivalry meant the situation at sea had become "very tense".
General Gilbert Gapay told foreign media in Manila that the
United States had stepped up naval patrols and China's
coastguard had been very active, while its maritime militia were
"practically swarming most areas" of the Philippines' Exclusive
Economic Zone.
During Tuesday's joint briefing, Malaysia's Hishammuddin
said China had committed to purchase 1.7 million tonnes of palm
oil until 2023 and pledged to encourage increased shipments of
sustainably produced Malaysian palm oil.