Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Friday described the Quad, an informal alliance between the United States, Japan, Australia and India, as a "tool to contain China."

Zhao made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Quad countries that included a discussion on what it termed Beijing's "growing power."

"The so-called Quad mechanism is, in nature, a tool to contain and circle China, and preserve America's hegemony," said Zhao. "It's a man-made provocation of confrontation that undermines the international unity and cooperation."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the top diplomats of Australia, Japan and India in Melbourne on Friday to deepen the Quad alliance.

Noting that the Cold War was over long ago, Zhao said attempts to build an alliance to contain China were unpopular and would fail.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson called on the countries to abandon the "outdated cold-war mentality, correct their wrong approach of advancing group confrontation and playing up geopolitical games, and play a constructive role for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region."