Quad, like sea foam, will dissipate soon: Chi

Beijing, March 8: Chi on Thursday said the arrangement between the US, India, Japan and Australia - dubbed as quad - apparently to contain Chi was like “sea foam” and would “dissipate” soon. India and Australia have shown willingness to join the quadrilateral security initiative, an idea floated by Japan in 2007. The emergence of the bloc seemingly to counter an increasingly assertive Chi in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean has worried Beijing.

“It seems that there is never a shortage of headline-grabbing ideas. These ideas are like sea foam in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. They may get some attention but soon dissipate,” said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Wang was replying to a question about the grouping’s apparent aim to counter Chi and its multi-billion dollar connectivity, the Belt and Road project.

The four countries are reportedly in talks with each other to set up a joint regiol infrastructure scheme as an altertive to the Belt and Road initiative.

The US, India, Japan and Australia have growing concerns over Chi’s increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region and its ambitious Belt and Road connectivity project. India opposes the multi-billion dollar Belt and Road project whose key artery, the Chi-Pakistan Economic Corridor, cuts through the part of Kashmir held by Islamabad.

Chi’s presence has increased in the Indian Ocean and worried India. Japan is also worried about Chi’s growing val strength. Both powers have disputes over the islands in the East Chi Sea.(IANS)