The U.S. tracks boundary tensions between India and China closely and promotes their peaceful settlement by direct dialogue, the State Department said Tuesday, stressing that it stands with friends and partners such as India.
We mention the continuing talks between the Indian and Chinese governments,” State Department Speaker Ned Price told a news briefing.”
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We continue to advocate direct negotiation and peaceful settlement of certain border conflicts,” he said, adding: “We are concerned about the trend of continuing attempts by Beijing to bully its neighbours. We will stand with mates as usual, we will stand with supporters, we will stand with allies.
India and China have been engaged in a military standoff over their contested mountainous frontier and after soldiers were killed in a clash there, Indian public sentiment has hardened against Beijing.
Following a call earlier in the day between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar of India, Price spoke.
The State Department said the intent of the call was “to reaffirm the strength of the partnership between the US and India” and issues of mutual interest, including Myanmar.
On February 1, Myanmar’s military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s newly elected government and arrested her and other politicians from her National League for Democracy (NLD).
The two have addressed cooperation across the Indo-Pacific, the statement said, adding that they looked forward to increased regional cooperation, including through the Quad, an informal grouping of the US, India, Japan and Australia seen as a way of pushing back against the increasing assertiveness of China.
In a telephone call on Monday, new U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to improve Indo-Pacific security across the Quad.
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