The United States is talking to both India and China to help them resolve their ongoing border tensions, President Donald Trump said on Saturday. "It's a very tough situation. We're talking to India. We're talking to China. They've got a big problem there," Trump told reporters at the White House.
"They have come to blows, and we will see what happens. We will try and help them out," Trump said when asked about his assessment of the situation between India and China.
Over the past few days, the entire Trump Administration has rallied behind India against the illegitimate incursions of the Chinese Army into the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh.
"The PLA [People's Liberation Army] has escalated border tensions with India, the world's most populous democracy. It's militarising the South China Sea and illegally claiming more territory there, threatening vital sea lanes," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, in a major speech on China a day earlier. In his virtual address on 'Europe and the China Challenge' during the 2020 Copenhagen Democracy Summit on Friday, Pompeo described the ruling Chinese Communist Party as a "rogue actor".
For the sake of grabbing territory, the Peoples' Liberation Army (PLA) of China appears to have instigated the most violent clash between the two Asian giants, a top American Senator said on Thursday. On land, for the sake of grabbing territory, the PLA appears to have instigated the most violent clash between China and India since those nations went to war in 1962, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a major foreign policy speech on the floor of the House.
Congressman Jim Banks welcomed India's decision to ban Huawei and ZTE from its telecom network. "Always best to push back against Chinese Communist Party thugs. India will not be intimidated. A strong, wise decision!" Banks said.
As many as 20 Indian soldiers achieved martyrdom in clashes against Chinese intruders into Galwan Valley in Ladakh early this week. Early this week, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the president is aware of the situation and the US is monitoring the situation between Indian and Chinese forces along the line of actual control in Eastern Ladakh.
During a phone call on June 2 that Trump had with Prime Minister Modi, they did discuss the situation on the Indo-China border, McEnany said.
-Inputs from PTI
