Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo meets with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London, United Kingdom on July 21, 2020.  Credit: State Department photo by Ronny Przysucha.

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC TIMES

U.S. Secretary of State Michael  Pompeo met with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London this week for discussions on China-related issues and coordination on COVID-19 recovery. Pompeo also had talks with UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. Pompeo reportedly called for a Transatlantic coalition against China. 

“We of course began with the challenge presented by the Chinese Communist Party and the COVID-19 virus that originated in Wuhan, China.  On behalf of the American people I want to extend my condolences to the British people from your losses from this preventable pandemic.  The CCP’s exploitation of this disaster to further its own interests has been disgraceful.  Rather than helping the world, General Secretary Xi has shown the world the party’s true face.  We talked about how we’ve seen Hong Kong’s freedoms crushed.  We’ve watched the CCP bully its neighbors, militarize features in the South China Sea, and instigate a deadly confrontation with India.”

-U.S. Secretary of State Michael  Pompeo

The U.S. secretary of state also congratulated the UK’s decision to ban Huawei from future 5G networks.  Pompeo also praised England for opening “your doors to Hong Kongers who seek nothing more and fleeing just for some freedom.”

Serious Concerns About  Situation In Hong Kong:  UK Foreign Minister Raab

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo meets with UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in London, United Kingdom on July 21, 2020.  Photo: State Department / Ronny Przysucha,

“We’ve spoken today about our serious concerns about the situation in Hong Kong, particularly in relation to the national security legislation.  We talked a bit about our – the UK offer to BNOs, what we’re doing in suspending the extradition treaty, extending the arms embargo to Hong Kong.  Mike gave me his perspective on it as well.  We’re coordinating together with the Five Eyes, and we also discussed next steps including at G7 level.  We also talked about ongoing discussions in relation to 5G, and crucially how we can diversify our supply chains in relation to telecoms in the 5G network, and also more broadly learning some of the lessons from coronavirus around PPE and other things and the work that we can do together in order to facilitate that.”

-UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab

 U.S.-U.K. Trade Totals More than $300 billion a Year

Eighty-six percent of British companies that export goods and services to the United States are small- and medium-sized enterprises.  Nearly 20 percent of British exports go to the United States – more than twice as much as any other country.  Before,  COVID, nearly four million Americans traveled to the U.K. annually.