China on Tuesday said it is not threatened by growing American investments in infrastructure and other sectors of the Asian economy.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had announced on Monday that Washington would be investing $113 million in energy, technology and infrastructural initiatives in Asia, to possibly counteract growing Chinese influence in the region.
“It is a good thing that the US and other countries will increase imports to develop infrastructure and connectivity in this region,” Chinese Foreign Affairs spokesperson Geng Shuang was cited as saying by Efe news.
“We(…) will never seek domination in the Indo-Pacific, and we will oppose any country that does that,” Pompeo had said, in a fresh warning to Beijing in the face of growing tensions in the South China Sea, where countries like Vietnam and the Philippines have disputed China’s claim over a number of islands.
“We hope these countries make investments and carry out imports with the aim of increasing the benefits for the well-being of this region,” said Geng, adding that China was willing to work with the US and other countries to ensure economic growth and regional development.