US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed in an interview on The Hugh Hewitt Show that Washington would give a firm response to Beijing's actions that pose a threat to the US.
"…China has taken actions that have provided risk to the American people, whether that's a risk through the stealing of intellectual property, or trade rules that are unfair, or activity in the South China Sea or their continued expansion in space […]. Each of those actions has been met with a strong and vigorous response from the United States of America, and will continue to do so," Pompeo said.
Pompeo also lamented the alleged practice of Chinese state-run companies to "bribe senior leaders" in other countries to receive contracts for lucrative infrastructure projects. He claimed that such contracts would bring no good to the citizens of the countries and that they pose a risk to US interests.
Earlier, Mike Pompeo, during a visit to Panama, leveled criticism against Chinese investments in Latin American states, calling them "not transparent, clearly not market-driven and predatory." He also suggested that governments should have their "eyes wide open" when dealing with China.
READ MORE: Former US General Predicts War With China Likely Within 15 Years
Relations between Beijing and Washington have been deteriorating recently amid an ongoing trade dispute, US accusations of intellectual property theft, and China's military activities in the South China Sea.
