U.S. will not leave Australia alone to face China coercion -Blinken

U.S. will not leave Australia alone to face China coercion -Blinken
# 14 May 2021 02:29 (UTC +04:00)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that the United States would not leave Australia alone in the face of economic coercion from China, and that such behavior toward U.S. allies would hamper improvement in U.S.-Sino relations, APA reports quoting Reuters.

Washington has repeatedly criticized what it says are Beijing's attempts to bully neighbors with competing interests, and U.S. President Joe Biden has sought to bolster ties with allies in the Indo-Pacific to counter China's growing power.

"I reiterated that the United States will not leave Australia alone on the field, or maybe I should say alone on the pitch, in the face of economic coercion by China," Blinken said at a press briefing with visiting Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

"And we've made clear to the PRC how such actions targeting our closest partners and allies will hinder improvements in our own relationship with China," Blinken said, using the acronym for the country's official name.

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