US sends stern message to China on Tawang clash: 'Fully support India's effort'

China is growingly asserting itself and being proactive in areas directed toward US allies and partners in Indo-Pacific, Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder said.

On India-China Tawang stand-off, Pentagon said it fully supports India's efforts to de-escalate the situation.

The Pentagon said the US department of defence is closely watching the situation along the Line of Actual Control and slammed China for continuing to “amass forces and build military infrastructure along the so-called LAC”. Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder said it is important to point out the growing trend by China to assert itself and ‘be proactive’ in areas directed toward US allies and partners in Indo-Pacific. “We will continue to remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure the security of our partners. We fully support India’s effort to de-escalate the situation,” Pat Ryder said.

On December 9, there was a clash between the Indian soldiers and the Chinese troops at the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh on the India-China border. Chinese troops tries to transgress the LAC and unilaterally change the status quo leading to a clash in which the Indian soldiers gave a firm and resolute response forcing the Chinese side to retreat. In his statement presented in Parliament. defence minister Rajnath Singh said there was no fatality and no serious injuries to the Indian soldiers.

Following the face-off, the local commander of the Indian Army held a flag meeting with his counterpart on December 11.

This is the second major face-off between the Indian and the Chinese troops after Galwan in 2020 while talks regarding the border issues are going on between the two sides.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the US is closely monitoring the situation and is glad to note that there was a quick disengagement.

India and the United States recently held the 18th edition of the two country’s joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ in Uttarakhand about 100 km from the Line of Actual Control to which China expressed its objection and said it violated the spirit of the two agreements signed between New Delhi and Beijing.

Both India and US rejected China’s opposition to the joint exercise and said no third country is allowed to comment on such matters. While India said the India-US exercise had nothing to do with the 1993 and 1996 agreements, the US said it was none of China’s business to comment.

Three Indian Army troops — Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, Jat regiment and Sikh Light Infantry — thwarted the attack from the Chinese troops who came armed with clubs, sticks and other equipment, reports said. The Indian side was prepared and when the attack took place, one of the units was being relieved by a new unit. Chinese troops came with drones apparently to shoot the entire clash, reports said.