An influential American lawmaker has raised concerns about reports of China’s continued construction activities along the Indian border in Ladakh, saying that if the reports are true, it is a “provocative move” by Beijing and fits. to the pattern of his conduct in the south. China Sea.
India and China have been locked in a military confrontation, which began in May, along the Royal Line of Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
The armies of both countries have deployed a large number of troops throughout LAC. Multiple rounds of talks between the two sides to resolve the confrontation have yielded no concrete results.
“If (the reports) turn out to be true, it would be another provocative measure by the Chinese military to change the facts on the ground,” Democratic congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi told PTI.
“It would also fit into the pattern of their behavior in the South China Sea, where they build islands, where they try to change the facts as we previously understood them, and it would be deeply disturbing, to say the least,” Krishnamoorthi said. who is the first Indian-American to serve on the Standing Committee on Intelligence of the United States House of Representatives.
The Illinois congressman said the reports that include satellite images are his source for information on construction activities in China.
Krishnamoorthi, who was recently re-elected to the House of Representatives for the third time in a row, said the United States supports India.
“I have to say that we are currently in the United States Congress, but also Trump and the incoming Biden administration are supporting our Indian partners and the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.
The recently concluded Malabar exercise of the QUAD countries – India, Japan, Australia and the United States – is a sign that the democracies in the Indo-Pacific region will continue to unite and push for a rules-based international order. said the congressman.
In response to a question, Krishnamoorthi said that US President-elect Joe Biden has been a long-time friend of India, and that he, along with Indian-born Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, will support New Delhi.
“I think her national team, Kamala Harris, only strengthens a relationship given her own Indian roots. Secretary of State candidate Anthony Blinken is also an old friend of India. He knows the region very well. I am confident that incoming Secretary Blinken will take the relationship to new heights, along with President Biden and Vice President Harris, ”he said.
“They are going to continue the approach that the Democratic and Republican presidents have largely taken, which is that we support India in the region and we oppose any kind of militaristic action by any neighbor, including China,” he added.
Krishnamoorthi also said that addressing Covid-19 should be the number one priority for India and the United States.
“A global health partnership that involves India, the United States and all of our partners and allies around the world, and others, is crucial to defeating the pandemic,” he said.
“I am sure it will happen, especially with Joe Biden as one of the world’s most important leaders driving this change.
“I am also pleased that he and his administration are once again involved with WHO and the World Health Organization will play an important role in vaccine distribution and logistics to eliminate this virus. That is the number one priority for our two countries. I really look forward to the partnership that emerges on that front, ”he said.
The United States has the highest number of coronavirus infections in the world, followed by India.
The death toll in the United States is now more than 264,000. And nearly 60,000 more people could lose their lives over the next three weeks, according to a joint forecast released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week.
India’s COVID-19 count stood at 93.51,109 on Saturday. A total of 1,36,200 people have succumbed to the contagious respiratory disease in the country.
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