Singapore, June 11 (agency)
US Defense Secretary Lloyd James Austin said on Saturday that China is continuously strengthening its position along the borders with India. He reiterated that the US is fully prepared to deal with any future aggression. “We also stand with our friends who are defending their rights amid China’s forced war and aggressive stance on territorial claims,” he said. At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Austin said China was aggressively pursuing its territorial claims in the South China Sea and furthering its illegal maritime plans. “Further west we see Beijing consolidating its position along the borders with India,” he said. The armies of India and China have been in a standoff along the border in eastern Ladakh since 5 May 2020, when the two sides clashed violently in the Pangong Lake area. China is building other infrastructure like roads and residential areas along the border areas with India. China also has border disputes with various countries in the Indo-Pacific region such as Vietnam and Japan. Austin said, “We are unwavering in our defense commitments.”
