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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has defended Australia while branding China as a brutal regime ideologically and politically hostile to free nations.
Mr Pompeo has told reporters the world was "waking up" to China following its response to the COVID-19 outbreak and treatment of Australia, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Australia led a successful push for a global inquiry into the pandemic and in recent days China slapped an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley imports and is blocking red meat from four Australian abattoirs.
China has placed an 80 percent tariff on Australian barley. (JAMES DAVIES)
"The Chinese Communist Party chose to threaten Australia with economic retribution for the simple act of asking for an independent inquiry into the origins of the virus," Mr Pompeo said on Wednesday in Washington DC.
"It's not right.
"We stand with Australia and the more than 120 nations now who have taken up the American call for an inquiry into the origins of the virus, so we can understand what went wrong and save lives now, and in the future."
The once seemingly cordial relationship between US President Donald Trump and China flipped in recent weeks as America's coronavirus death toll rose toward 100,000, unemployment jumped to historic levels and its economy was battered.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been attacking China frequently since the COVID-19 outbreak began. (AP)
Mr Trump and Mr Pompeo have used daily public forums to blast China for its COVID-19 response.
Mr Pompeo said the US, for several decades, thought China would "become more like us through trade, scientific exchanges, diplomatic outreach" and letting them in the World Trade Organisation as a developing nation.
"That didn't happen," he said.
"We greatly underestimated the degree to which Beijing is ideologically and politically hostile to free nations.
"The whole world is waking up to that fact."
Police march wearing masks during a duty change on February 3, 2020 in Beijing, China. (Getty)
The US claims China chose to destroy live COVID-19 samples instead of sharing them or asking the US for help to secure them.
Mr Pompeo also pointed to China's claims in the South China Sea's international waters, the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat, threats to a Malaysian energy prospector and declaration of a unilateral fishing ban.
"The United States condemns these unlawful acts," he said.
Mr Pompeo also described China's contributions to fighting the pandemic as "paltry compared to the cost that they have imposed on the world".
He said the US has contributed $US10 billion to the international response and questioned whether China would fulfill its promised $US2 billion.
Trump defends sacking watchdog investigating Pompeo
US President Donald Trump has defended firing the State Department's inspector general, saying Pompeo asked him to do so and dismissing suggestions Pompeo faced a probe by the ousted official.
Democratic lawmakers said on Monday Trump might have fired the watchdog, Steve Linick, because he was investigating US military sales to Saudi Arabia.
Congressional aides have also said Linick was probing whether Pompeo misused a taxpayer-funded political appointee to perform personal tasks for himself and his wife, such as walking their dog.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is accused of making a State Department staffer walk his dog. (AP)
The president, a Republican, told reporters he did not know Linick and heaped praise on Pompeo, who has become one of Trump's most trusted cabinet members.
"You mean he's under investigation because he had somebody walk his dog from the government?" Trump said with incredulity when told by a reporter about the accusations against Pompeo.
"I didn't know about an investigation. But this is what you get with the Democrats. Here's a man supposed to be negotiating war and peace with major, major countries ... and the
Democrats and the fake news media, they're interested in a man who's walking their dog.
And maybe he's busy and maybe he's negotiating with Kim Jong-un," Trump said, referring to the North Korean leader.
Donald Trump took no issue with taxpayer dollars going towards State Department staffers 'washing dishes' in Mike Pompeo's home. (AP)
Trump said he would prefer his secretary of state to focus on his job rather than menial tasks.
"I'd rather have him on the phone with some world leader than have him wash dishes, because maybe his wife isn't there, or his kids," Trump said about the top US diplomat.
"It's terrible. It's so stupid. You know how stupid that sounds to the world? Unbelievable."
On Monday Pompeo told The Washington Post he had recommended to Trump that Linick be removed because he was "undermining" the mission of the State Department.
He did not give a specific reason but said it was not in retaliation for any probe.
© AAP 2020
https://www.9news.com.au/world/mike...-covid19/dd953e12-e5e6-43a3-9220-ede6ede6126e
Mr Pompeo has told reporters the world was "waking up" to China following its response to the COVID-19 outbreak and treatment of Australia, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Australia led a successful push for a global inquiry into the pandemic and in recent days China slapped an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley imports and is blocking red meat from four Australian abattoirs.
China has placed an 80 percent tariff on Australian barley. (JAMES DAVIES)
"The Chinese Communist Party chose to threaten Australia with economic retribution for the simple act of asking for an independent inquiry into the origins of the virus," Mr Pompeo said on Wednesday in Washington DC.
"It's not right.
"We stand with Australia and the more than 120 nations now who have taken up the American call for an inquiry into the origins of the virus, so we can understand what went wrong and save lives now, and in the future."
The once seemingly cordial relationship between US President Donald Trump and China flipped in recent weeks as America's coronavirus death toll rose toward 100,000, unemployment jumped to historic levels and its economy was battered.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been attacking China frequently since the COVID-19 outbreak began. (AP)
Mr Trump and Mr Pompeo have used daily public forums to blast China for its COVID-19 response.
Mr Pompeo said the US, for several decades, thought China would "become more like us through trade, scientific exchanges, diplomatic outreach" and letting them in the World Trade Organisation as a developing nation.
"That didn't happen," he said.
"We greatly underestimated the degree to which Beijing is ideologically and politically hostile to free nations.
"The whole world is waking up to that fact."
Police march wearing masks during a duty change on February 3, 2020 in Beijing, China. (Getty)
The US claims China chose to destroy live COVID-19 samples instead of sharing them or asking the US for help to secure them.
Mr Pompeo also pointed to China's claims in the South China Sea's international waters, the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat, threats to a Malaysian energy prospector and declaration of a unilateral fishing ban.
"The United States condemns these unlawful acts," he said.
Mr Pompeo also described China's contributions to fighting the pandemic as "paltry compared to the cost that they have imposed on the world".
He said the US has contributed $US10 billion to the international response and questioned whether China would fulfill its promised $US2 billion.
Trump defends sacking watchdog investigating Pompeo
US President Donald Trump has defended firing the State Department's inspector general, saying Pompeo asked him to do so and dismissing suggestions Pompeo faced a probe by the ousted official.
Democratic lawmakers said on Monday Trump might have fired the watchdog, Steve Linick, because he was investigating US military sales to Saudi Arabia.
Congressional aides have also said Linick was probing whether Pompeo misused a taxpayer-funded political appointee to perform personal tasks for himself and his wife, such as walking their dog.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is accused of making a State Department staffer walk his dog. (AP)
The president, a Republican, told reporters he did not know Linick and heaped praise on Pompeo, who has become one of Trump's most trusted cabinet members.
"You mean he's under investigation because he had somebody walk his dog from the government?" Trump said with incredulity when told by a reporter about the accusations against Pompeo.
"I didn't know about an investigation. But this is what you get with the Democrats. Here's a man supposed to be negotiating war and peace with major, major countries ... and the
Democrats and the fake news media, they're interested in a man who's walking their dog.
And maybe he's busy and maybe he's negotiating with Kim Jong-un," Trump said, referring to the North Korean leader.
Donald Trump took no issue with taxpayer dollars going towards State Department staffers 'washing dishes' in Mike Pompeo's home. (AP)
Trump said he would prefer his secretary of state to focus on his job rather than menial tasks.
"I'd rather have him on the phone with some world leader than have him wash dishes, because maybe his wife isn't there, or his kids," Trump said about the top US diplomat.
"It's terrible. It's so stupid. You know how stupid that sounds to the world? Unbelievable."
On Monday Pompeo told The Washington Post he had recommended to Trump that Linick be removed because he was "undermining" the mission of the State Department.
He did not give a specific reason but said it was not in retaliation for any probe.
© AAP 2020
https://www.9news.com.au/world/mike...-covid19/dd953e12-e5e6-43a3-9220-ede6ede6126e
