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On Thursday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo renewed the attack on China, condemning its “aggressive” moves in the South China Sea, despite objections from its smaller neighbors and its handling of the China pandemic. Coronavirus
Speaking from the Indonesian capital Jakarta, the headquarters of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pompeo praised Indonesia’s leadership in ASEAN for its response to what he described as China’s “illegal” claims and praised Jakarta’s protection of their lands.
“We respect the freedom of the seas, sovereignty and the rule of law,” he said, standing next to Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Marsudi responded by saying that “international law must be respected,” although he did not specifically mention China.
“Our law-abiding nations reject the illegal claims of the Communist Party of China in the South China Sea, as evidenced by Indonesia’s courageous leadership on this issue within ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and in the United Nations … It is an issue worth discussing in multilateral circles, “added Pompeo. The Trump administration is very supportive of him. “
“The US constitution establishes respect for religious freedoms. There is no reason why the Islamic religion cannot live in peace with Christianity and Judaism,” he said, noting that “there are extremists who try to prevent people from of religions live together. “
He stressed that the Iranian regime is cracking down on those who disagree with it, including minorities, adding that the Chinese Communist Party is cracking down on the Muslim Uyghur minority, saying: “We must listen to the stories of the survivors and their Uyghur minority families in China. My heart broke when I heard the stories of Uighur detainees in China. “
Earlier this year, the Trump administration clarified its long-standing policy on disputes by outright rejecting nearly all of Beijing’s maritime claims in the South China Sea.
Pompeo arrived in Indonesia from the Maldives, where he announced that the United States will open an embassy for the first time in the archipelago country in the Indian Ocean, a move that reflects growing American concern about increasing Chinese influence in the region.
“The Chinese Communist Party continues its illegal and threatening behavior,” Pompeo said in the capital Male, “The Chinese Communist Party is a predator.”
