Pompeo meets Japanese counterpart Motegi in Tokyo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, said y will le a regional initiative called “Free and Open Indo-Pacific" aimed at countering China's growing assertiveness, a main issue y will discuss Tuesday with top envoys from Australia and India.

Motegi, opening his working lunch with Pompeo ahe of so-called Qu talks, said Japan-U.S. alliance continues to be “ cornerstone of peace and stability in region” under new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga who took office on September 16, vowing to carry on his predecessor Shinzo Abe's hawkish security and diplomatic stance.

Pompeo welcomed Suga's recent description of Free and Open Indo-Pacific as foundation of regional peace and stability and that “I could t agree him more.” first in-person talks among foreign ministers since coronavirus pandemic began also brings toger Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

On his way to Tokyo, Pompeo told reporters that four countries hope to have some “significant achievements” at meeting, but did t elaborate. Japanese officials say y will discuss impact of coronavirus pandemic, as well as Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) initiative for greater security and ecomic cooperation that Japan and US have been pushing to bring toger “like-minded” countries that share concerns about China’s growing assertiveness and influence.

talks come weeks ahe of US presidential election and amid tensions between US and China over virus, tre, techlogy, Hong Kong, Taiwan and human rights. Pompeo is attending Qu meeting, though he canceled subsequent planned visits to South Korea and Mongolia after President Donald Trump was hospitalized with COVID-19. president was released Monday and returned to White House. talks follow a recent flareup in tensions between China and India over ir disputed Himalayan border. Relations between Australia and China have also deteriorated in recent months.

(Im Credits: AP)

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