China Warns US Against Meddling In Border Stand-Off With India
China has told the United States not to interfere in its border stand-off
with India in the eastern Ladakh region
Sun Weidong, China's ambassador to India, cautioned Washington on Twitter
after Beijing "noticed some remarks" by the US about the situation.
"We firmly oppose any third party meddling in China-India border issue and
hope the US relations with others not target any specific country," Weidong
wrote.
We have noticed recent remarks with reference to #China by the #US side. We firmly oppose any third party meddling in #China-#India border issue and hope the #US relations with others not target any specific country.
— Sun Weidong (@China_Amb_India) January 6, 2021
The statement from the Chinese envoy came a day after outgoing US Ambassador
to India Ken Juster spoke about India facing the prospect of sustained Chinese
"aggression" along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Juster also confirmed that the US has coordinated with India amid its standoff
with China, but stopped short of explaining the exact nature of the
cooperation.
"I appreciate the question and the interest and the internal discussions on
China, but it's not really something I'm at liberty to get into here," Juster
said. "If the government of India wants to comment on that, that's for the
government of India to do. Suffice it to say that we have cooperated. And I
think it's been very positive and very supportive. But I really can't get into
the details."
This is not the first time that China has told the US to back away from its
regional matters. Last September, China's Foreign Ministry hit out at
Washington for promoting an "outdated Cold War mindset and confrontation
between blocs and geopolitical rivalry.”
India's army has also made it clear that the border standoff is a bilateral
issue, and that it will not seek support from a third country, while Indian
Air Force chief Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauri categorically stated on 7 October
that there has in fact been no coordination with US forces in relation to
border tensions with China.
The air chief was asked to comment on reports suggesting that America's
deployment of B-2 bombers in the Indian Ocean was to deter the Chinese from
any "misadventure" in Ladakh.
Meanwhile, according to the Indian government, the ninth round of talks
between New Delhi and China is yet to be scheduled.
"The date for the next round of talks will be decided after the Chinese side
get back to us with clarifications towards disengagement and de-escalation on
the ground," a government official said, adding that they are fully prepared
for the long haul.
Tensions between the two countries erupted last year when they accused each
other of violating border agreements in the Ladakh region. The Indian side
lost 20 soldiers in the Galwan Valley on 15-16 June during the first violent
clash with China in 45 years.
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