On belt and road US backs India says it crosses disputed territory

[Hephaestus]

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/on-...ed-territory-1758271?pfrom=home-lateststories

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration today threw its weight behind India's opposition to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), saying it passes through a "disputed territory" and no country should "put itself into a position of dictating" the Belt and Road initiative.

India skipped the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) in May this year due to its sovereignty concerns over the nearly $60 billion CPEC, a flagship project of China's prestigious One Belt One Road (OBOR), which passes through Azad Kashmir (Azad Kashmir).


Having returned from his maiden trip to India last week during which he met his counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis today appeared to be a strong opponent of China's ambitious OBOR initiative.

"In a globalised world, there are many belts and many roads, and no one nation should put itself into a position of dictating 'one belt, one road'," Secretary Mattis told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing.



"That said, the One Belt One Road also goes through disputed territory, and I think, that in itself shows the vulnerability of trying to establish that sort of a dictate," he said apparently referring to India's position on CPEC.


Secretary Mattis was responding to a question from Senator Charles Peters over OBOR and China's policy in this regard.

"The One Belt One Road strategy seeks to secure China's control over both the continental and the maritime interest, in their eventual hope of dominating Eurasia and exploiting natural resources there, things that are certainly at odds with US policy. So what role do you see China playing in Afghanistan, and particularly related to their One Belt One Road," Senator Peter had asked.

 

[Winter Soldier]

china is the enemy of both India and the US. we should focus on the area which matters the most, the Indian ocean through which 80% of the world trade is carried out. with joint Indo-US naval base in Andaman islands and Malacca strait under US control we can choke china to death. also the current trade war going on between the US and china can be used to our advantage.

 

[Hephaestus]

china is the enemy of both India and the US. we should focus on the area which matters the most, the Indian ocean through which 80% of the world trade is carried out. with joint Indo-US naval base in Andaman islands and Malacca strait under US control we can choke china to death. also the current trade war going on between the US and china can be used to our advantage.

Joint base. In my opinion that'll just be ludicrous. We need to engage China. Let them also know we aren't backing down like in Dokalam & they are dealing with an equal. Far too long have they been given a free hand.
At the same time India-US should arm Vietnam to the teeth & bring in the Aussies in the next Malabar.