After advocating peace, China has reportedly deployed more troops and armoured vehicles within its side of the disputed border, escalating China-Indian tensions while ‘ignoring’ US Presidents’ offer of mediation.
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Beijing on Wednesday had emphasised on safeguarding their territorial sovereignty and security, and “safeguarding peace and stability in the border areas” while maintaining that “China-India border area situation is overall stable and controllable.”
The Chinese government’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian during a media briefing had remarked that “China and India communicate through established border-related mechanisms and diplomatic channels, including communication between local border troops, diplomatic departments and embassies of the two countries.”
It is reported that China has deployed about 5000 soldiers and heavily armoured vehicles in the region. India, in retaliation, is also deploying a similar number of troops and artillery guns.
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As EurAsian Times reported previously, the conflict with China involves the undemarcated boundary between India and China, which is known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The armed forces of both nations attempt to patrol the regions that they dominate with a differing point of views leading to border conflicts in regions like Ladakh and Sikkim.
The military standoff began early this month after clashes erupted between the troops of the two most powerful Asian nations that left scores of soldiers injured from both the sides driving a steady build-up of troops in the border region.
Earlier this week, China’s President Xi Jinping had told the country’s armed forces that “it is necessary to explore ways of training and preparing for war because epidemic control efforts have been normalized.” Many defence experts have regarded it as a warning to the world about a potential war.
The US offers to mediate
The US President, Donald Trump has responded to the ongoing tensions between India and China’and tweeted – “We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute. Thank you!,”
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1265604027678670848
Neither India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) nor China’s MoFA has responded to Donald Trump’s statement claiming to have offered a mediation proposal.
Trump had previously asked to be a mediator or arbitrator in the Indo-Pak’s Kashmir issue where he allegedly said that, India’s PM had requested him to take up this role. In response, India’s MEA openly denied and rejected Trump’s claims of any such request put forward by India.
We have seen @POTUS's remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India & Pakistan, on Kashmir issue. No such request has been made by PM @narendramodi to US President. It has been India's consistent position…1/2
— Anurag Srivastava (@MEAIndia) July 22, 2019
Experts on the global affairs also question US’s offer to be the mediator between India and China when it is itself involved in a major tussle with China on multiple forefronts.
Along with the trade war, relations between the US and China further deteriorated Washington accused Beijing spreading COVID-19 pandemic and not taking timely measures. US President Donald Trump even threatened to cut all ties with China. Post the pandemic rivalry, US’s support to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang has also lead to many diplomatic clashes between two economic powerhouses.
