Amid the India-China border tensions, the US' National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien stated that China had “attempted to seize control of the Line of Actual Control by force,” reported PTI.
Despite diplomatic talks and joint statements by the foreign ministers of both India and China, the standoff continues at Ladakh, increasing tensions between Beijing and New Delhi.
Noting China’s international projects such as the One Belt One Road initiative, O’Brien stated that “impoverished companies” had taken on “opaque and unsustainable Chinese loans to pay Chinese firms employing Chinese labourers to build their infrastructure.” This debt had “eroded” the sovereignty of such countries.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also condemned China’s behaviour in his interviews after returning to US from the Quad ministerial meetings in Tokyo, reported PTI.
Pompeo stated the West has “allowed the Chinese Communist Party to walk all over us,” and it was time to “push back” by forming a coalition.
He also took cognisance of the escalating tensions at the LAC and China’s ‘bullying.’
O’Brien also spoke of imposing “tangible cost” compelling China to reduce its ‘harmful’ actions against America and its allies.
Citing an example of one such instance, he stated, “Carriers like Jio in India, Telstra in Australia, SK and KT in South Korea, NTT in Japan, and others have prohibited the use of Huawei equipment in their networks. The Trump administration is investigating and prosecuting the economic espionage aggressively.”
Both Pompeo and O’Brien emphasised on strengthening alliances to understand and combat the Chinese threat together, with India as well as the other Quad countries.
“One important partnership which will be one of the most key partnerships for the United States in the 21st century, India, is thriving," the US National Security Adviser said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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