South China Sea: A top US diplomat for East Asia has said that Washington expects India to play a greater role in the South China Sea.
He was making these remarks while interacting with Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Daniel Kritenbrink, the US diplomat said the US is seeing a “clear and upward” trend of Chinese
“coercion” in this region.
The South China Sea is crucial for global trade. Various estimates put the annual trade size in this region at $3 trillion.
China says the whole area belongs to it and any disputes regarding the South China Sea must be resolved locally. Beijing does not want the US to get involved in any disputes regarding the South China Sea.
Earlier this week, India gifted a warship to Vietnam, which is one of the several countries that claim ownership over a part of the South China Sea.
It is also noteworthy that in June a Chinese vessel was operating in Vietnamese waters.
“Stop reconnaissance operations against China”
The spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington says the US is not a party to the South China Sea disputes.
“If the U.S. really cares about the stability of the South China Sea and wants to avoid accidents, I think it needs to stop the reconnaissance operations against China,” Liu Pengyu, the spokesperson said in a briefing.
Washington wants military-to-military- contact with China, which Beijing has consistently refused.
“Among the closest partners”
Last week, the US and India declared themselves to be among the closest partners in the world during PM Modi’s visit to Washington.
Both countries signed several deals including the setting up of a jet engine manufacturing plant in India. Mr Kirtenbrink, in the context of PM Modi’s visit, expects a growing role for India in the South China Sea.
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