Chinese state-run Global Times has said that the United States’ offer of mediation was unnecessary and that it was the last thing the India and China could use.
Chinese state-run newspaper Global Times has warned that “India needs to be careful about being involved” in the United States-China rivalry.
In an article, the newspaper, considered the Chinese government’s mouthpiece, said: “With nationalist sentiment on the rise in India, there have been some voices calling for the Indian government to join the new Cold War and exploit its position for more gains.”
“Such irrational voices are nothing but misleading, which should not represent the mainstream voices and sway the Indian government's stance,” the article said.
It claimed that India has "little to gain" from engaging in a US-China conflict and had "more to lose which is why the Modi government needs to face the new geopolitical development objectively and rationally.”
The article further warned that under the current circumstance, India needs to be “careful not to include the US factor in its handling of any problem in its relations with China, otherwise it will only complicate the issue.”
It pointed out that the “same is true of the recent China-India border tension”. It said the United States’ offer of mediation was unnecessary and it was the last thing the two sides could use.
It reiterated the Chinese government’s stand that China and India “have the ability to resolve their problems, and there is no need for any third-party intervention.”
On May 29, China had rejected US President Donald Trump's offer to mediate between India and China to end their current border standoff.
In a surprise move, Trump on May 27 offered to "mediate or arbitrate" the raging border dispute between India and China, saying he was "ready, willing and able" to ease the tensions, amid the continuing standoff between the armies of the two Asian giants.
These developments and the latest article by Global Times comes amid escalating tension, Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane had paid a quiet visit to the headquarters of 14 Corps in Leh on May 22 and reviewed with the top commanders the overall security scenario in the region including in the disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) — the de-facto border between the two countries.
On May 26, President Xi Jinping ordered the Chinese military to scale up the battle preparedness, visualising the worst-case scenarios and asked them to resolutely defend the country's sovereignty. It was unclear if the comments were linked to the rising tensions between India and China.
The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 that extended into the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders. Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.
The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in North Sikkim on May 9.
Earlier last month, local commanders of both the sides held at least five meetings during which the Indian side took strong note of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) erecting large numbers of tents in areas in the Galwan Valley which India felt belonged to its side of the LAC.
