Chinese official media denounce Pompeo's warning regarding "ignorance and wickedness"

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Chinese media on Monday criticized US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after issuing warnings in Latin America about Chinese investment risk.

Pompeo was touring Latin America late last week, meeting with Panamanian and Mexican heads of state. During the trip, Pompeo told reporters that "when China calls it, it is not always in the interest of your citizens".

"When they submit offers that seem too good to be true, it's often the case," he said Thursday in Mexico, according to comments posted on the department's website. US state.

In an editorial published on Monday, the China Daily government newspaper said Pompeo's remarks were "ignorant and malicious" and that critics claiming that his Belt and Road infrastructure initiative was creating pitfalls in debt in other countries were false.

President Xi Jinping advanced the project of expanding trade corridors along a modern silk road linking Asia, Europe and Africa , generating credits for the construction of roads, railways and ports as part of a multi-billion dollar infrastructure initiative.

The country is also keen to involve Latin American countries, although the initiative is beginning to face growing skepticism as some countries, such as Sri Lanka, are struggling with debt. They had trouble paying back.

Pompeo said that the US welcomed Chinese competition, but criticized the lack of transparency of its state-owned enterprises and what it called a "predatory economic activity."

In comments made in Panama, he said that countries should have "eyes wide open" on Chinese investment.

"It is simply true that in some parts of the world, China has invested so as to leave countries worse off, and this should never be the case," he said.

The government newspaper Global Times said in a separate editorial on Monday that Pompeo's remarks were "disrespectful," adding that the United States was trying to "widen the gap" between growing Sino-Latin American relations.

While the United States traditionally had strong political influence in the region, China has become a major trading partner for many Latin American countries, including Argentina, Chile, and Brazil .

"Most countries are disappointed with the United States and want to break their dependence," the paper said. "The countries of Latin America know how to weigh their interests."