China criticises forthcoming Quad Foreign Ministers meet in Japan

Beijing: China on Tuesday criticised the forthcoming meeting of the Foreign Ministers of India, Australia, Japan and the US in Tokyo, saying it is opposed to the formation of “exclusive clique” harming third party’s interests.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will participate in the Second India-Australia-Japan-USA Ministerial Meeting on October 6, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Jaishankar will visit Tokyo from October 6 to 7 for bilateral consultations with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. The two ministers are expected to discuss bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest, the MEA statement said.

Asked by a Western media journalist for his reaction to the meeting of Foreign Ministers of India, Japan, US and Australia also known as Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here that “peace, development and global cooperation is the overriding trend of today’s world.”

“Multilateral and plurilateral cooperation should all be open, inclusive and transparent. No one should seek an exclusive clique,” he said.

“Efforts should be made to enhance regional countries mutual understanding and trust, instead of targeting a third party or harming third party’s interests,” he said.

“We hope the relevant country will proceed from the interests of regional countries and do more things conducive to regional peace, stability and development instead of the contrary,” Wang said.