Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet the leaders of Australia, US and Japan in the first-ever in-person summit of heads of government of the Quad framework on Friday.
The summit being hosted by US President Joe Biden at the White House is expected to discuss a host of strategic issues including supply of COVID vaccines to developing nations, the situation in Afghanistan and development of 5G technology. However, the growing and evolving strategic profile of China is expected to be a factor in all these issues.
Not surprisingly, China's state-run Global Times tabloid on Thursday evening declared Beijing would not hesitate to punish the Quad members if "they step on the red line of China's core interests".
The Global Times editorial declared, "We must warn solemnly Japan, India and Australia not to follow the US too far in confronting China."
The Global Times referred to the announcement last week by the US, Australia and UK to form a strategic partnership known as AUKUS that would supply Canberra with nuclear submarines.
"The US intends to turn the Quad and AUKUS into 'sinister gangs' containing China. On one hand, it stubbornly strengthens to deepen the anti-China cooperation of the Quad mechanism. On the other, it will gradually lure other countries in the region to join the gang," Global Times warned.
also read
- Hopeful India, China will be able to restore peace at borders through bilateral engagement: PM
- 'Won't change reality': India slams Beijing's move to rename places in Arunachal
- India, China exchange views on complete disengagement, resolving remaining issues along LAC
- Despite India's strong rebuttal, China continues to harp on its claim over Arunachal Pradesh
The editorial appealed to other countries to not be fooled by Washington and implored them to "refuse to be geopolitical pawns of the US against China, or to become cannon fodders of Washington".
Highlighting Beijing's economic and military might, the Global Times editorial noted, "The Quad mechanism itself can do no harm to China. This is because it may form a siege of China, but will never block China's long-lasting development and rise, or Chinese people's diligence and resolve to make progress."
