The Ladakh showdown: Mike Pompeo said the United States “supports India to face any threat.” (Proceedings)
New Delhi:
China, shaken by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s strong support for India’s efforts to defend its sovereignty, a reference to the military standoff in Ladakh, said in a statement that “the question of boundaries is a bilateral issue “and there is”. There is no room “for a third party to intervene.
Mike Pompeo had said yesterday that the United States “will support India when it faces threats to its sovereignty and freedom.”
After talks with national security adviser Ajit Doval, in which the Ladakh confrontation was discussed, Pompeo said: “The United States will support India in its efforts to defend its sovereignty and freedom … Our nations are committed to work together to expand our partnerships on many fronts. “
Beijing said that the development of bilateral relations between countries should not “infringe the legitimate rights and interests of a third party” and should lead to regional peace, stability and development.
“The boundary issue is a bilateral issue between China and India. The two sides have been discussing disconnection and downsizing in border areas through diplomatic and military channels. China and India have the wisdom and ability to handle their differences properly. There is no room for a third party to intervene, “said a statement issued by the Chinese embassy.
China also accused the United States of launching an Indo-Pacific strategy to maintain its dominance. “The ‘Indo-Pacific strategy’ proposed by the United States is to provoke the confrontation between different groups and blocs and to stoke geopolitical competition, in an attempt to maintain the dominance of the United States, organize closed and exclusive ideological cliques,” says its statement . .
Pompeo arrived in India on Monday along with Defense Secretary Mark T Esper for the third edition of the 2 + 2 dialogue between the United States and India.
India and the United States signed a historic Basic Agreement for Exchange and Cooperation (BECA) that will allow the sharing of high-end military technology, classified satellite data and critical information between the two countries.
The long-negotiated SCHOLARSHIP crystallized in the context of India’s tense border clash with China in eastern Ladakh since May, which escalated after a clash in the Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese soldiers. In July, Pompeo criticized China for its aggressive moves against its neighbors, including “instigating” a deadly confrontation with India in eastern Ladakh, saying Beijing cannot threaten countries or intimidate them in the Himalayas.
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