Blinken made the remarks during a community outreach program with American Indians organized by the Biden campaign on the occasion of India’s Independence Day on August 15.
It alleged that US President Donald Trump has helped China advance key strategic goals by weakening American alliances, leaving a void in the world for China to fill, abandoning American values and giving Beijing the green light to trample on democracy in Hong Kong.
“We have a common challenge which is to deal with an increasingly assertive China in all areas, including its aggression towards India on the Royal Line of Control, but also to use its economic power to coerce others and … to their benefit, ignoring international rules to advance their own interests, asserting unfounded maritime and territorial claims that threaten freedom of navigation in some of the world’s most important seas, “Blinken told Indian-Americans during the virtual roundtable on” Relations between States United States and India and American Indians in Joe Biden’s Administration “.
India and China have been embroiled in a bitter confrontation on the Royal Line of Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May.
Blinken, who was then former Vice President Biden’s top foreign policy adviser, also referred to Chinese actions in Hong Kong as repressing the rights of his own people and democracy in the former British colony.
“We have to step back and start by putting ourselves in a position of strength from which to engage China so that the relationship moves further on our terms, not theirs,” Blinken said.
“India has to be a key partner in that effort,” Blinken said.
If Blinken is elected by President-elect Biden and confirmed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he will replace Mike Pompeo as the next Secretary of State.
“Unfortunately, right now on practically all the key metrics. China’s strategic position is stronger and ours is weaker as a result of the failed leadership of President Trump, “he said.
More importantly, he alleged that Trump had undermined American democracy.
“In many ways, when we think about dealing with the challenges that China poses, it is almost less about its strength and more about some of our self-inflicted weaknesses,” he said.
“Put another way, this is really about us in the first place, the competitiveness of our own economy and of workers. The strength of our own democracy and political system, the vitality of our own alliances and associations. And, of course, affirmation of our own values, all of which President Trump has done so much to undermine, “Blinken said.
Relations between Washington and Beijing have skyrocketed since the novel coronavirus outbreak. The two countries have also discussed trade issues, a new national security law in Hong Kong, restrictions on American journalists, the treatment of Uighur Muslims and security measures in Tibet.
Responding to a question from Richard Verma, the former US ambassador to India, who was moderating the panel discussion, Blinken said that Biden as president would be investing “in ourselves renewing our democracy, working with our close partners like India, affirming our values, and thus involve China from a position of strength. “
“During the Obama-Biden administration, we worked very hard to establish India as a key contributing member of the Indo-Pacific strategy. And that includes India’s role in working with like-minded partners to strengthen and maintain a rule-based order in the Indo Pacific, in which no country, including China, can threaten its neighbors with impunity, “Blinken said.
“That role must extend even beyond the region as vast as it is for the world at large. In a Biden administration, we would advocate for India to play a leading role in international institutions and that includes helping India win a seat on a reformed United Nations Security Council, “he said.
“We would work together to strengthen the defense of India and we would also add its capabilities as a counter-terrorism partner,” he added.
A Biden administration will also not tolerate terrorism in South Asia, he said in response to another question.
“On the question of terrorism, specifically, we have no tolerance for terrorism, in South Asia or anywhere else – cross-border or otherwise,” he said.
Claiming that Biden is a champion of US-India relations, Blinken had said that the former vice president had a vision for US-India relations.
Referring to a 2006 statement by Biden that by 2020, the United States and India should be closer friends, Blinken said that hasn’t happened yet, but Biden will make it happen.
Former Deputy Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Nisha Desai Biswal, was the other panellist at the August event.
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