Global Times says Quad is incapable of inflicting substantial harm to China and says Quad members would become US ‘cannon fodder’ to contain Beijing.
Desk: Ahead of Quad summit on Friday, all set to be held today in Washington, the heart-burn in China is palpable. China spokespersons and analysts are warning the member countries of Quad that this grouping would not amount to much and that they would be nothing but a ‘cannon fodder’ for US.
China mouthpiece Global Times in a mocking piece today said that US practice of ‘abandoning allies like dumping trash’ will make Quad another NATO that exists only in name.
This would be the first occasion when the leaders of the four Quad countries would meet in-person.
China is particularly rattled by the fact that Japan PM has been stressing the need to counter Chinese military threat repeatedly. Even before leaving for USA, he raised security issues relating to South China Sea.
Chinese analysts are now blaming him for sacrificing his country’s diplomatic independence and pursuing a policy aligned with US interests.
Yoshihide has said that China’s growing military influence and unilateral change of status quo is a risk to Japan and that Japan is monitoring the military balance between China and Taiwan.
China analysts say that India is active in Quad for using the US, Japan and Australia to contain China.
Going by the tone and tenor of the China analysts and journalists, it is clear that China has been squirming with apprehension as the four countries, with significant heft and interest in the South China Sea are coming together.
Quad is not a military alliance yet. It has no headquarters and has no clearly defined goals.
However, the spark has just begun. There is every indication that the four countries would continue to deepen their military and security relations and Quad would emerge as a potent force in the days to come.
China too knows it. And therefore the burn.