Pompeo Slams China’s ‘Malign Activity’ as He Meets Asian Allies

The top US diplomat is meeting his Japanese, Australian and Indian counterparts on a trip that was scaled back after President Donald Trump and a raft of staff and advisors contracted coronavirus.

His first meeting was with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, in which they “discussed their shared concerns regarding the People’s Republic of China’s malign activity in the region,” a US State Department official said.

The talks in Tokyo come with the United States, Australia and India all at loggerheads with Beijing — leaving Japan in the delicate position of standing alongside its allies while attempting to preserve gradually improving ties with China.

Pompeo is the first senior US official to visit Japan since Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took office last month, and he said he was confident Tokyo and Washington were on the same page.

“In his first statement after assuming office, Prime Minister Suga described the free and open Indo-Pacific as ‘the foundation of regional peace and stability’. I could not agree more,” he said at the start of talks with his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi.

Speaking later, Suga said the spread of the coronavirus had shown “exactly why right now is the time that we must further deepen coordination with as many countries as possible that share our vision and build our efforts to enhance cooperation.”