China accuses US of ‘stirring up confrontation’ in Asia-Pacific

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has accused the United States of “stirring up confrontation” in the Asia Pacific, declaring as a “security risk” Washington’s plan to form an Indo-Pacific alliance, seen as a strategy to counter Beijing’s own growing assertiveness in the region. Wang issued the statement on Tuesday, following his meeting with his Malaysian counterpart, Hishammuddin Hussein, during which he also highlighted China’s leadership in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, and urged the Associated of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to work together to prevent “external disruptions.” Wang’s trip to Kuala Lumpur is part of a tour of Southeast Asia and comes just days after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Tokyo and held a four-way summit with foreign ministers from Japan, India and Australia. Wang likened the emerging US-led alliance to NATO in Europe and said what the US is doing could “mark the beginning of a dangerous and slippery” step. style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;">