United States President Donald Trump wants to do everything possible to ensure peace for the people of India and China, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Thursday.
“I love the people of India, and I love the people of China, and I want to do everything possible to keep the peace for the people,” McEnany told reporters. She was asked if the president has a message for China amid the tensions between New Delhi and Beijing.
On July 2, McEnany had said Trump believed that the aggressive stance of Beijing towards India and other countries in the region was a testimony to the “true nature” of the Chinese Communist Party.
Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh along the disputed Line of Control on June 15. It led to the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers, the worst violence on the border since 1975. While China also lost personnel, it has not yet formally acknowledged any deaths of its soldiers. After this, four round of talks’ were held between the commanders of the two armies to work out details of disengagement from the stand-off areas.
Over the past few weeks, the Trump administration supported India’s actions. Earlier in the day, White House Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow said India was a great ally. “President Trump is very friendly [with India],” he added.
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that India has been a great partner of the US. On July 8, Pompeo had said that China took “incredibly aggressive action” in the clashes, adding that India did its best to respond to the situation.
US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien has also told reporters that China has been very aggressive with India.
The coronavirus pandemic has increased tensions between Washington and Beijing and their relations have reached their lowest point in years. Trump has consistently pointed to Chinese culpability in failing to contain the outbreak in its early stages and accused Beijing of not being transparent about it. China’s military buildup in the South China Sea, its treatment of Uighur Muslims, its decision to enact a new national security law for Hong Kong and massive trade surpluses has also contributed to the strained ties.
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