‘No space for third party’

A day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo extended strong support for India's efforts to defend its sovereignty, China yesterday responded by saying that boundary question is a bilateral matter and there is no space for a third party to intervene. 

China said that the development of bilateral ties between countries should not infringe upon legitimate rights and interests of a third party and should be conducive to regional peace, stability and development.

"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," said a statement released by the Chinese Embassy.

"The 'Indo-Pacific strategy' proposed by the US is to stir up confrontation among different groups and blocs and to stoke geopolitical competition, in a bid to maintain the dominance of the US, organize closed and exclusive ideological cliques," it said.

Pompeo on Tuesday declared that Washington stands with New Delhi to deal with any threat as the two countries tightened their mutual strategic embrace by signing a pact to share sensitive satellite and map data.

Pompeo, along with Defense Secretary Mark Esper, said after talks with their Indian counterparts that the two countries had to work together to confront the threat China posed to security and freedom.

The annual US-India strategic dialogue comes at a time of heightened tension in the region, with Indian troops confronting Chinese forces on their disputed Himalayan border.

The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA), which gives India access to classified geo-spatial data as well as critical information having significant military applications from the US, was signed as Pompeo and Esper held hour-long talks with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for the third edition of the 2+2 talks in New Delhi.

Emerging from the talks and BECA signing, Pompeo, in a joint media appearance with Jaishankar and Rajnath, mentioned the killing of 20 Indian army personnel in Galwan Valley in a clash with Chinese troops in Ladakh on June 14 and said "the US stands with India to deal with any threat".

US President Donald Trump has made being tough on China a key part of his campaign to secure a second term in next week's presidential election and Pompeo has been trying to bolster allies to counter China's growing influence in the region.

Pompeo, during a 12-hour stop in Clombo, yesterday said the Chinese Communist Party was operating as a "predator" in Sri Lanka.

Pompeo arrived in Sri Lanka from India as part of a four-leg tour, which also includes Maldives and Indonesia, aimed at bolstering allies against China's increasing political and military inroads in the region in recent years.