China has told the United States not to interfer in its border stand-off with India in the eastern Ladakh region.
Sun Weidong, China's ambassador to India, cautioned Washington on Twitter after Beijing "noticed some remarks" by the US about the situation.
"We firmly oppose any third party meddling in China-India border issue and hope the US relations with others not target any specific country," Weidong wrote.
We have noticed recent remarks with reference to #China by the #US side. We firmly oppose any third party meddling in #China-#India border issue and hope the #US relations with others not target any specific country.
— Sun Weidong (@China_Amb_India) January 6, 2021
The statement from the Chinese envoy came a day after outgoing US Ambassador to India Ken Juster spoke about India facing the prospect of sustained Chinese "aggression" along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Juster also confirmed that the US has coordinated with India amid its standoff with China, but stopped short of explaining the exact nature of the cooperation.
"I appreciate the question and the interest and the internal discussions on China, but it's not really something I'm at liberty to get into here," Juster said. "If the government of India wants to comment on that, that's for the government of India to do. Suffice it to say that we have cooperated. And I think it's been very positive and very supportive. But I really can't get into the details."
This is not the first time that China has told the US to back away from its regional matters. Last September, China's Foreign Ministry hit out at Washington for promoting an "outdated Cold War mindset and confrontation between blocs and geopolitical rivalry.”
India's army has also made it clear that the border standoff is a bilateral issue, and that it will not seek support from a third country, while Indian Air Force chief Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauri categorically stated on 7 October that there has in fact been no coordination with US forces in relation to border tensions with China.
The air chief was asked to comment on reports suggesting that America's deployment of B-2 bombers in the Indian Ocean was to deter the Chinese from any "misadventure" in Ladakh.
Meanwhile, according to the Indian government, the ninth round of talks between New Delhi and China is yet to be scheduled.
"The date for the next round of talks will be decided after the Chinese side get back to us with clarifications towards disengagement and de-escalation on the ground," a government official said, adding that they are fully prepared for the long haul.
Tensions between the two countries erupted last year when they accused each other of violating border agreements in the Ladakh region. The Indian side lost 20 soldiers in the Galwan Valley on 15-16 June during the first violent clash with China in 45 years.
