A day earlier, the president proposed to mediate between India and China. (File)
Washington:
Reiterating his offer to mediate on the border dispute between India and China, US President Donald Trump said he had discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the “great conflict” and said that the Indian Prime Minister was not ” good humor “over the last few pushes between the two countries.
Speaking to reporters at the White House Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said a “big conflict” is going on between India and China.
“I love your Prime Minister very much. He is a great gentleman,” said the president.
“Having a great conflict … India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful armies. India is not happy and probably China is not “is not happy,” he said when asked if he was concerned about the border situation between India and China.
“I can tell you; I spoke to Prime Minister Modi. He’s not in a good mood about what’s going on with China,” said Trump.
A day earlier, the president proposed to mediate between India and China.
Trump said in a tweet on Wednesday that he was “ready, willing and able to mediate” between the two countries.
Responding to a question on his tweet, Trump reiterated his offer, saying that if called for help, “I would (mediation). If they thought it would help” about “mediation or arbitration, I would, “he said.
India said on Wednesday that it is engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border, in a carefully crafted reaction to Trump’s offer to arbitrate between the two Asian giants to settle their decades-old dispute.
“We are engaged with the Chinese side to resolve it peacefully,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava, responding to a volley of questions at an online press conference.
While the Chinese Foreign Ministry has yet to respond to Trump’s tweet, which appears to have surprised Beijing, a state-run Global Times editorial said the two countries did not need such a help from the american president.
“The last dispute can be resolved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should remain vigilant over the United States, which exploits all the chances of creating waves which endanger regional peace and order”, he added.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in Beijing on Wednesday that China and India have adequate communication mechanisms and channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultation.
Trump previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, a proposal that was rejected by New Delhi.
The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after about 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers engaged in a violent confrontation on the evening of May 5, which spilled the next day before the two sides agreed to “disengage” following a meeting at the level of local commanders.
More than 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence. The Pangong Tso incident was followed by a similar incident in northern Sikkim on May 9.
