Affirmation of support by US officials for India's position on the Ladakh standoff has triggered an adverse reaction from China.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper reiterated support for India's attempts to protect its sovereignty after the '2 + 2' dialogue with their Indian counterparts in New Delhi on Tuesday.
After the comments by the US officials, the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi issued a strongly worded statement, criticising US attempts to intervene in the bilateral dispute between India and China.
"The US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and other senior official repeated old lies, attacked and made allegations against China, violated the norms of international relations and basic principles of diplomacy, instigated China's relations with other countries in the region, which once again exposed their Cold War mentality and ideological bias," the Chinese Embassy statement said.
The Chinese Embassy statement took issue with Pompeo's criticism of the Chinese Communist Party . Pompeo had spoken of "confronting the Chinese Communist Party’s threats to security and freedom". "The leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is a choice of history and the people. This year, under the leadership of the CPC, the Chinese people have achieved strategic victory in fighting the virus. According to surveys conducted by international authoritative institutions, the Chinese people's satisfaction and trust toward the CPC-led Chinese government exceed 90 per cent," the Chinese Embassy said.
The Chinese Embassy statement objected to any "third-party intervention" in the dispute with India.
"China has been advocating that the development of bilateral relations between countries should be conducive to regional peace, stability and development, and not infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of a third party. The boundary question is a bilateral matter between China and India. The two sides have been discussing disengagement and de-escalation in the border areas through diplomatic and military channels. China and India have the wisdom and ability to handle their differences properly. There's no space for a third party to intervene," the Chinese Embassy said.
