China accuses US of 'Cold War mentality'

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday criticized the Indo-Pacific strategy proposed by the United States, saying it "trumpets the old-fashioned Cold War mentality."

The strategy "bolsters confrontations among different blocs and geopolitical competition, and maintains the predominance and hegemony of the U.S.," said Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry, at a daily briefing.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday after finishing their visit to India where they had stepped up the Trump administration's anti-China message.

Pompeo and Esper cautioned Sri Lanka and Maldives against potential predatory lending and investment from China.

In Beijing, the spokesperson Wang fired back and accused the U.S. of "forcing small and medium-sized countries to take sides."

China considers Sri Lanka to be a critical link in its massive "Belt and Road" global infrastructure building initiative and has provided billions of dollars in loans for Sri Lankan projects over the past decade.

The projects include a seaport, airport, port-city, highways and power stations.

Wang added that the longtime friendly relationship between China and Sri Lanka "cannot be shifted by any distortion or slander."