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US concerned over China’s attempt to ‘intimidate’ neighbours, stands by partners
Key members of the Biden administration, such as secretary of state Antony Blinken have identified China as one of the main concerns for the US while supporting the strong position taken against China by former president Donald Trump
The US has expressed concern at China’s attempts to “intimidate its neighbours” against the backdrop of the India-China border standoff, and said it will stand with friends and partners to advance security and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific.
US state department’s spokesperson Ned Price made the remarks at a news briefing on Tuesday in response to a question on the Biden administration’s position on China’s efforts to encroach on India’s territory.
The US views India as “one of the most important partners in the Indo-Pacific”, and welcomes India’s emergence as a “leading global power and its role as a net security provider in the region”, Price said.
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Key members of the Biden administration, such as secretary of state Antony Blinken have identified China as one of the main concerns for the US while supporting the strong position taken against China by former president Donald Trump. However, they have signalled the new administration’s handling of the issue will not be as confrontational as the approach adopted by Trump.
Price said the US is closely monitoring the India-China standoff. “We are concerned by Beijing’s pattern of ongoing attempts to intimidate its neighbours. As always, we’ll stand with friends, we’ll stand with partners, we’ll stand with allies to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values in...the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
“We note the ongoing talks between the governments of India and China, and we continue to support direct dialogue and a peaceful resolution of those border disputes,” he added.
Price pointed to India’s key role as an important partner for the US in the Indo-Pacific region and said: “We welcome India’s emergence as a leading global power and its role as a net security provider in the region. We cooperate on a wide range of diplomatic and security issues, including defence, non-proliferation, regional cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, the environment, health, education, technology, agriculture, space, and oceans.”
He also described the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad – which groups the US, India, Australia and Japan – as a key example of the US and its closest partners “pulling together for the good of a free and open Indo-Pacific region”.
The US is going to build on the Quad by deepening cooperation on areas of traditional focus, including maritime security, while also working closely with Quad partners to “confront some of the defining issues of our time”, such as Covid-19, climate change and democratic resilience, he said.
The two countries also work closely in international organisations, and the US welcomes India joining the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for a two-year term. “We also remain India’s largest and most important trading partner, with total bilateral trade increasing to $146 billion in 2019. US companies, of course, are a large source of India’s foreign direct investment,” Price said.
Price highlighted people-to-people ties and noted that nearly four million Indian Americans “call the US home, contributing in their communities and proudly serving their country in uniform”.
Responding to a question about Democratic Party lawmakers and vice-president Kamala Harris raising concerns in the past about human rights in India and the situation in Kashmir, Price said the US is “committed to supporting democratic values, including a free and open civil society and the strong rule of law” in the case of India and every partner across the board.
“We regularly engage with the government of India...on our shared commitment to democratic values. We believe it’s the bedrock for the US-India relationship. And it’s actually in keeping...with India’s own democratic values, its pluralistic values, and its history of tolerance,” he said.
The US-India comprehensive global strategic partnership is broad and multifaceted, and the US will continue engaging at the “highest levels of our government to deepen cooperation on many fronts, and we are confident that the strong and upward trajectory of our partnership will, in fact, continue”, Price added.
