The Indian and Chinese armies were stuck in a dead end in several places in Ladakh. (Representative)
Washington:
Beijing’s aggressive stance against India and other countries in the region confirms the “true nature” of the Chinese Communist Party, said US President Donald Trump, according to White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
In the context of the deadlock between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh, she said the United States is closely monitoring the current situation and supports its peaceful resolution.
Indian and Chinese armies have been locked in a bitter deadlock at several locations in eastern Ladakh in the past seven weeks, and tension has escalated multiple after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent confrontation in the Galwan Valley on June 15. The Chinese side has also suffered, but details remain to be worked out.
“As far as India and China are concerned, we are closely monitoring the situation. The president is also doing so. And he said that China’s aggressive position along the Indo-Chinese border corresponds to the broader pattern of aggression from China and other parts of the world.
“These actions only confirmed the true nature of the Chinese Communist Party,” said Ms. McEnany in response to a question at a press conference.
Earlier, during a congressional hearing, US lawmakers expressed concern over aggressive Chinese actions along the real line of control (LAC).
“Last month, China engaged in deadly clashes along the real line of control, resulting in the tragic death of a dozen Indian soldiers and an unknown Chinese death toll,” said congressman Adam Schiff. , Chairman of the House Select Intelligence Committee. , during a hearing on the coronavirus and US-China relations.
Brookings Institute principal investigator Tanvi Madan told members of the House Select Intelligence Committee that since the beginning of May, the People’s Liberation Army of China has been trying to “unilaterally change the status quo” along the LAC, the de facto border between the two countries.
This, along with the coronavirus pandemic, has had and will continue to have an impact on Indian views and approaches to China, the United States and the international order, she said. .
Madan said that when Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in October 2019, they sought to focus on Sino-Indian cooperation.
However, the pandemic and the border crisis have shown that despite Delhi and Beijing’s efforts over the past decades to get involved, Indo-Chinese relations remain a fundamental and increasingly competitive relationship which can even spill over into the conflict, she said.
Observing that the border crisis and the pandemic have heightened and accelerated concerns in India over China’s lack of transparency, Madan said she is sending an uncertain commitment to rules-based order.
“The Indian government has indicated that the border crisis will have a serious impact on the broader relationship, especially if the status quo ante is not restored quickly,” she noted.
Informing lawmakers that public perception of China has “deteriorated considerably,” said Brookings Institute fellow during the pandemic and border crisis, Delhi has already imposed restrictions or further economic interests and Chinese technology within the broader strategic community.
“In India, there is close consensus that ties to Beijing need to be reassessed and reset.”
The border crisis and the pandemic have led India to maintain and even deepen its partnership with the United States and Washington to play a more sustained and solid role in ensuring that a rules-based order prevails in the region and around the world, she said. .
Madan told lawmakers that the border crisis remains serious and requires careful monitoring.
“Washington will consider different scenarios. It should also assess what New Delhi might ask of it in each case, if the United States is willing to react and, if so, prepare for these eventualities,” she said .
“If the United States wants to be reactive or show its support for India, it should convey this desire while taking care not to worsen the situation. Such support will facilitate a closer alignment of India with the United States in the future.”
However, Washington should not try to push India into decisions or choices or let Delhi think that it is profiting from the border crisis. It would be useless, if not counterproductive, warned Ms. Madan.
“The way India deals with these health and national security crises and the choices and compromises it will make will affect the United States. This will offer opportunities, but also potentially challenges,” she said. declared.
The willingness of partners like India to cooperate with the United States in the region and around the world will depend not only on Chinese mistakes, but on Washington’s willingness and ability to respond, said Madan.
During the hearing, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi asked that, without taking measures that would worsen the crisis, what can the United States do to help India respond productively to this situation and bring China to comply with a rules-based order.
Madan said the United States’ ability to assist India has been strengthened by a number of agreements and dialogue mechanisms that have been put in place over the past decade.
“The structure is in place. It is often useful because it is feared that it will not become geopolitical football between the United States and China, that the administration has taken the position of letting India fix the basis for asking for this support. It’s a good idea, “she said.
