China on Sunday reacted cautiously over a proposal by the Trump administration for a working-level quadrilateral meeting with India, Japan and Australia, saying Beijing hopes that it would not target or damage a “third party’s interest”.
The US was looking at a “working-level” quadrilateral meeting in the near term with India, Japan and Australia and offer countries in the Indo-Pacific region an alternative to predatory financing or unsustainable debt, the State Department had said last month. The proposal was, however, seen by China as an attempt to counter its influence in the region.
Reacting to it, the Chinese Foreign Ministry hoped that such an arrangement will promote mutual trust among countries in the region and not harm its interest.
“China hopes the collaboration among relevant countries could comply with the trend of times, which refers to peace, development, and cooperation and shared benefits, and also conform to the prospects of the regions and nations for common security and development,” the Ministry said in a written response to a query from PTI here.
“We hope it would be beneficial for improving the mutual trust among countries and regions, at the same time safeguarding and promoting peace, tranquillity, and prosperity within the area, without targeting or damaging a third party’s interest,” it said.
State Department’s Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice G Wells had said, “As we explore ways to deepen and try to inculcate some of the values — freedom of navigation, maritime security, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, transparency — obviously, Australia would be a natural partner in that effort as well”.
The freedom of navigation is mostly referred to unhindered movement of ships and flights in the disputed South China Sea as China claims most of the busy trade route through which goods worth over $5.3 trillion pass every year.