China blows hot and cold over Quad summit

Chinese Foreign Ministry criticizes Quad as a U.S. tool to contain China, emphasizing China's resolve to protect sovereignty and maritime rights.

China on Monday (September 23, 2024) termed Quad as a tool used by the U.S. to contain Beijing, asserting that interference by any external force will not shake its determination to uphold its "sovereignty and maritime rights" in the disputed South and East China Seas.

The Quad, identified as the premier regional grouping in the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, is a tool used by Washington to contain China to perpetuate its hegemony, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a media briefing, fielding a spate of questions on the Quad summit.

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Hosted by President Joe Biden, the Quad Summit took place on Saturday in his hometown Wilmington, Delaware. The summit was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan.

Mr. Lin accused the U.S. of pooling together countries to muster military and security cooperation under the pretext of maritime issues to contain China by peddling the China threat narrative.

The U.S. says Qaud doesn't target China but the highest on its agenda is China, he said in a veiled reference to informal comments by Biden to fellow Quad leaders.

Mr. Biden was caught on a hot mic telling leaders of the Quad nations that China was testing them, thus reflecting upon the American seriousness of the emerging Chinese threat.