U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that the United States would not leave Australia alone in the face of Beijing’s economic coercion, and warned that such tactics against an ally would hinder U.S. ties with China.
“I reiterated that the United States will not leave Australia alone on the field, or maybe I should say alone on the pitch, in the face of economic coercion by China,” Blinken told reporters. “That’s what allies do. We have each other’s backs so we can face threats and challenges from a position of collective strength.”
