US Backs India On Border Tension With China, Says ‘Provocative And Disturbing Behaviour’ By Beijing

Tensions between India and China have flared up in areas surrounding Pangong Tso Lake and Galwan Valley in Ladakh, and both the parties have sent additional troops in the areas.

US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. AP/PTI

New Delhi: Amid the recent break out of tensions between neighbours India and China over border issues, the United States has shown support to India and has said that India should not take Chinese aggression lightly. A senior US diplomat told India that Beijing's aggression is "not always rhetorical" and termed it as "provocative and disturbing behaviour". Tensions between India and China have flared up in areas surrounding Pangong Tso Lake and Galwan Valley in Ladakh, and both the parties have sent additional troops in the areas. This comes just weeks after a stern face-off between the two parties in North Sikkim, which included aggression resulting in injuries to both sides. The troops had disengaged after local level interaction and dialogue. As per reports, China has increased the number of troops in the above location and has deployed additional boats in the Pangong lake. Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie also saw additional troops from both the parties. In a conference call with reporters, Alice G Wells, the outgoing head of the South and Central Asia bureau in the US State Department, has said that the tensions on the border are reminder that “Chinese aggression is not always just rhetorical.” Answering the question on India China border tensions, Wells said “whether it's on the South China Sea or whether it's along the border with India we continue to see provocations and disturbing behaviour by China that raises questions about how China seeks to use its growing power.” She also talked about China's aggressive behaviour in the strategic South China Sea. The face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops have occurred a number of times in the past. Before the Naku La face-off where several soldiers sustained injuries, both the countries were engaged in a 73-day long stand-off in Doklam tri-junction, which even posed a war-like situation. America alerts India over Chinese infiltration