Pompeo, "Several Countries Begin Joining to Check China"...Mentions 'Korea' as Well

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that several countries have begun to join the U.S. efforts to counter China, and South Korea was also mentioned as part of this coalition. Amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and China, South Korea, a key ally, has already become part of the anti-China front, and it is interpreted that the U.S. government implied there is no choice in this matter.

On the 3rd (local time), the U.S. State Department released a statement saying that the day before, Secretary Pompeo appeared on the America First program hosted by former White House National Security Council (NSC) Deputy Advisor Sebastian Gorka, where he said, "China has long been exploiting the United States, and President Donald Trump is the first president to acknowledge that the U.S. must respond." He emphasized, "Other countries have started to join the U.S. efforts. Australia, Japan, South Korea, and even the European Union (EU) recognize the threat China poses to Europe."

Earlier, on the 1st, in an interview with Fox News regarding countering China, Secretary Pompeo said, "Having friends and allies is central. We have worked on this for the past two years and have made real progress." He added, "We are seeing the world unite around the important understanding that China refuses to compete fairly and transparently." He continued, "Whether they are friends of India, Australia, Japan, or South Korea, I believe they have come to understand the risks to their people and countries," and "You will see them cooperating with the U.S. to push China back on all fronts."

This is interpreted as a statement to confirm to allied countries that countering China is not a matter of choice, and that all U.S. allies have already joined. Previously, the U.S. requested allied countries to participate in the Economic Prosperity Network (EPN), an anti-China economic bloc, and proposed applying security frameworks like the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to the Indo-Pacific region, suggesting the establishment of a so-called "Pacific NATO."

Earlier, on the 31st of last month, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, in a virtual discussion at the annual U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum meeting, mentioned, "The Indo-Pacific region lacks strong multilateral structures compared to other regions," and noted, "It does not have the strength of NATO or the European Union (EU)," implying the need for an Indo-Pacific version of NATO.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.