United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Tuesday
strongly urged China to use diplomacy and existing mechanisms to resolve its
border issues with India.
"I am extremely concerned by the ongoing Chinese
aggression along the Line of Actual Control on the India-China border. China is
demonstrating once again that it is willing to bully its neighbours rather than
resolve conflicts according to international law," Eliot L. Engel,
Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
"Countries must all abide by the same set of rules so
that we don't live in a world where "might makes right." I strongly
urge China to respect norms and use diplomacy and existing mechanisms to
resolve its border questions with India," Engel added.
China on Monday said both
diplomatic and military communication channels are open between the two
countries on the border issue and expressed the belief that the two sides can
properly resolve it through dialogue.
"Currently the overall
situation along the China-India border is stable and controllable. Both
diplomatic and military communication channels between China and India on the
border issue are open," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian
said at a press briefing.
"We believe that the
two sides can properly resolve the issue through dialogue and
consultations," he added.Tensions have escalated along the LAC in the last
few weeks following skirmishes between Indian and Chinese troops. There was a
face-off in Sikkim and the troops of two countries are in a stand-off in
Eastern Ladakh.
India has said that its
troops fully abide by the alignment of the Line of Actual Control in the
India-China border and it is the Chinese side that has undertaken activity
hindering India's normal patrolling patterns.
US President Donald Trump
had offered to mediate between the two countries on the "raging border
dispute". India has said that it is engaged in talks with China to resolve
the border issue.