WASHINGTON: China's recent aggression in eastern Ladakh is part of its large-scale military provocations against its neighbours and the US will not stand for unprovoked, premeditated military action for intimidating peaceful nations into submission, an influential American lawmaker has said.
Congressman Ted Yoho said that now is the time for the world to come together and tell China that enough is enough. "China's actions towards India fall in line with a larger trend of the Communist Party of China using the confusion of the COVID-19 pandemic as a cover to launch large scale military provocations against its neighbours in the region, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam," Yoho said on Friday.
In a tweet, the Republican lawmaker said that the US will not stand for unprovoked, premeditated military action for the purpose of antagonising and intimidating peaceful nations into submission. "Now is the time for the world to come together and tell China that enough is enough," Yoho said.
Earlier in the day, Congressman Dr Ami Bera, the longest serving Indian-American lawmaker in the House of Representatives, expressed concern over the Chinese aggression along its India border. "I encourage China to use its longstanding diplomatic mechanisms with India to deescalate the situation rather than force to settle boundary issues," Dr Bera said in a tweet.
As the Chair of the House Foreign Subcommittee on Asia, Bera said that he is "concerned by the continued Chinese aggression along its border" with India. "While this is a matter between China and India, it is my view that increasing military forces on either side of the Line of Actual Control will be counterproductive and unhelpful," he said.
In early June, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Representative Eliot Engel expressed being "extremely concerned by the ongoing Chinese aggression" along the Line of Actual Control. The Indian and Chinese militaries are engaged in a border standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh.
The two sides are engaged in diplomatic and military talks amidst escalating tension following the violent clashes in Galwan Valley on June 15. Twenty Indian Army personnel were killed in the clash.