Abe's remarks 'Cold-War mentality'

Abe's idea of an alliance of democracies between Japan, India, the US and Australia is not conducive to peace and stability in the region as it could divide Asia by ideology, Chinese analysts warned yesterday.

To preach of a quadripartite alliance resurrects a Cold-War mentality and is designed to deliberately divide Asia, said Hu Shisheng, an expert in South Asia studies at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

"Japan's intention is obvious. It aims to counterbalance the rising influence of China in the region," Hu said.