China snaps at US, says LAC faceoff with India is a bilateral issue

China on Wednesday said the Sino-India boundary dispute is a bilateral matter under negotiation and described Washington’s efforts to push the Indo-Pacific policy as an “outdated cold war strategy”

The Chinese foreign ministry was reacting to US secretary of state Mike Pompeo’s remarks in New Delhi on Tuesday that the US stands with India on the ongoing military faceoff with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)

“The border affairs between China and India are things between the two countries

Now the situation across the border is generally stable and the two sides are in resolving relevant issues through consultations and negotiations,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin said at the regular ministry briefing in Beijing on Wednesday

Wang was responding to a question on Pompeo pushing for closer ties with India in the backdrop of the Sino-India border conflict

On Tuesday, referring to the Indian soldiers who were killed in Galwan Valley on June 15, Pompeo said Washington will stand with New Delhi to protect its sovereignty

Criticising, and focusing on, Washington rather than on India, Wang said: “We always believe that the development of bilateral relations between any countries should be conducive to peace and stability and development of the region

The spokesperson referred to a Lankan foreign ministry statement that said Colombo will handle its foreign relations in accordance with the wishes of its citizens and relevant laws and not of foreign powers