US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said the recent clashes "initiated" by the Chinese military against India in eastern Ladakh are the latest examples of the "unacceptable behaviour" of the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Pompeo also praised India's recent decision to ban 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, which he said presents "serious security risks" to the Indian people.
"It's important that democracies like ours work together, especially as we see more clearly than ever the true scope of the challenge posed by the Chinese Communist Party.
"Our infrastructure projects, our supply chains, our sovereignty, and our people's health and safety are all at risk. If we get it wrong," Pompeo said in his virtual keynote address to the annual 'India Ideas Summit' of the US India Business Council.
"The recent clashes initiated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) are just the latest examples of the Chinese Communist Party's unacceptable behaviour. We were deeply saddened by the deaths of 20 Indian service members. I'm confident that with our concerted efforts, we can protect our interests," he said.
The troops of India and China are locked in a standoff in several areas along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh since May 5. The situation deteriorated last month following the Galwan Valley clashes that left 20 Indian Army personnel dead.
Pompeo's remarks came a day after US Defence Secretary Mark Esper described the Chinese military's aggressive activities in the region as "destabilising".
Esper also said the US was "very closely" monitoring the situation between India and China along the Line of Actual Control.
In his virtual address, Pompeo commended India's recent decision to ban 59 Chinese mobile apps, including TikTok, that he said present "serious security risks" for the Indian people.
Pompeo said he was happy to report that India is a "rising US defense and security partner in the Indo-Pacific and globally".
Asserting that the United States has never been more supportive of India's security, he said New Delhi too, is an important partner and a key pillar of President Donald Trump's foreign policy.
"We work closely together to make sure that the world intellectual property organisation election was won by someone who respects property rights. It seems pretty basic," Pompeo said amidst Washington's growing dispute with Beijing over intellectual property rights.