Pompeo Presses Quad Countries To Step Up Collaboration Against China

Pompeo Presses Quad Countries to Step up Collaboration Against China

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday urged Washington's East Asian allies Japan, Australia and India to step up collaboration in response to China's activities in the region

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th October, 2020) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday urged Washington's East Asian allies Japan, Australia and India to step up collaboration in response to China's activities in the region.

"I also look forward to resolving - to renewing our resolve to protect our precious freedoms and the sovereignty of the diverse nations of the region," Pompeo said at the start of a meeting of the so-called Quad group of countries, or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) in Tokyo. "As partners in this Quad, it is more critical now than ever that we collaborate to protect our people and partners from the CCP's exploitation, corruption, and coercion."

Pompeo cited China's activities in the East China Sea, the Mekong, the Himalayas and the Taiwan Straits as "examples" of the country's malign behavior.

The United States has been concerned over China's activity in the South China Sea, the Arctic region, and its Belt and Road Initiative to gain an economic influence around the world.

Moreover, relations between the United States and China have significantly deteriorated under the current Trump administration following accusations Beijing engaged in unfair trade practices and made a poor effort to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

In June, US President Donald Trump signed into law the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act that allows the US government to impose sanctions over alleged human rights violations of the Muslim Uyghur minority in China.

The Quad is an informal consultative mechanism to oppose the aspiration of China to establish control over strategic routes throughout the East Asian region and the South China Sea in particular.