"The West is winning" Pompeo claims

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has defended his nation's global role despite misgivings in Europe, vowing that Western values would prevail over what he called China's desire for "Empire".

He was speaking at the Munich security conference where China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused the US, in a Reuters interview, of blaming and bashing China to up the pressure on it and insisted it wanted peaceful co-existence.

Pompeo was seeking to reassure Europeans concerned about U.S. President Donald Trump's "America first" rhetoric, ambivalence over the transatlantic NATO military alliance and tariffs on European goods.

"I'm happy to report that the death of the transatlantic alliance is grossly exaggerated. The West is winning, and we're winning together," he said in a speech at the Munich Security Conference, listing the US steps to protect liberal democracies.

Pompeo was, in part, responding to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who on Friday accused the United States, Russia and China of stirring up global mistrust.

Envoys say that Trump's decision to pull out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, as well as the Paris climate accord, have undermined European priorities. They also say moves such as recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital have also weakened European diplomacy.

Pompeo defended the U.S. strategy, saying Europe, Japan and other American allies were united on China, Iran and Russia, despite "tactical differences."

He also re-emphasised Washington's opposition to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline under construction between Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea, a project backed by the government of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Referring to Russia's 2014 decision to take control of Crimea, cyber threats in Iran and alleged economic coercion by China, Pompeo said those countries were still "desiring empires" and destabilising the rules-based international system.

Speaking on Friday, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke to Reuters Global Managing Editor Alessandra Galloni in Berlin.

"The U.S. system and model are the choices of the American people," he said.

"We do not intervene in the internal affairs of the U.S.. By the same token, socialism with Chinese characteristics is the choice of the Chinese people, and it has already been proved hugely successful in China. The United States should also respect this choice made by the Chinese people.

"For countries with different systems, as long as they observe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, particularly the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, and respect countries's sovereignty, there won't be any threat to anyone."

He added: "For China, we stand ready to work with the United States on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence to build and grow this long-term and stable relationship of peace and friendship. That is our set policy. However, the United States is doing the opposite. It has been upping its pressure on China, and has been blaming and bashing China, and the facts are clear for everyone to see."

U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, speaking immediately after Pompeo, focused his remarks solely on China and accused Beijing of a "nefarious strategy" through telecommunications firm Huawei.

"It is essential that we as an international community wake up to the challenges presented by Chinese manipulation of the long-standing international rules-based order" said Esper.

He also added that it is not too late for Britain, which last month said it would permit Huawei a limited role in building its 5G networks, to take "two steps back", but added he still needed to assess London's decision.

"We could have a win-win strategy if we just abide by the international rules that have been set in place for decades... That respect human rights, that respect sovereignty" he said.

Asked about Huawei in his interview, Wang Yi said "We cannot understand why the United States, a superpower, is employing state power and mobilizing its allies to attack Huawei, which is a private company. Huawei is a one-hundred-percent private business. it has developed itself in market competition, relying on its own diligence, hard work and wisdom.

"The only reason that the United States is doing that is maybe Huawei is doing too well. The U.S. companies can excel and succeed, but why can't a Chinese company succeed by relying on its own efforts? Why can't the United States accept other countries' businesses to excel and perform well in their economy and technology?"

Key U.S. allies in Europe, notably Britain and France, have said they will not ban Huawei from building 5G networks, that will realise near-instantaneous data transfer, but they will impose restrictions.

(REUTERS)