China has moved up its forces along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said, asserting that authoritarian regimes take these kinds of actions. Several areas along the LAC in Ladakh and North Sikkim have witnessed major military build-up by both the Indian and Chinese armies recently, in a clear signal of escalating tension and hardening of respective positions by the two sides even two weeks after they were engaged in two separate face-offs.
"We see even today increasing forces of China moved up to the north of India on the Line of Actual Control there on the Indian border," Pompeo told Marc Thiessen and Danielle Pletka of AEI's 'What The Hell Is Going On' Podcast. Meanwhile, US House Committee on Foreign Affairs has strongly urged China to use diplomacy and existing mechanisms to resolve its border issues with India. "I am extremely concerned by the ongoing Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control on the India-China border. China is demonstrating once again that it is willing to bully its neighbours rather than resolve conflicts according to international law," Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs said in a statement. "Countries must all abide by the same set of rules so that we don't live in a world where "might makes right." I strongly urge China to respect norms and use diplomacy and existing mechanisms to resolve its border questions with India," Engel added. Here’s what US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China's take on border tension "Currently the overall situation along the China-India border is stable and controllable. Both diplomatic and military communication channels between China and India on the border issue are open," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a press briefing. "We believe that the two sides can properly resolve the issue through dialogue and consultations," he added. Tensions have escalated along the LAC in the last few weeks following skirmishes between Indian and Chinese troops. There was a face-off in Sikkim and the troops of two countries are in a stand-off in Eastern Ladakh.
Several areas along the LAC in Ladakh and North Sikkim have witnessed major military build-up by both the Indian and Chinese armies recently, in a clear signal of escalating tension. File photo: Reuters