China’s aggression in Ladakh, claims for real estate in Bhutan indicative of its intentions: Pompeo

China's recent aggression in India’s eastern Lakh and claims for real estate in Bhutan are indicative of its intentions, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said, asserting that Beijing under President Xi Jinping is testing world to see if anyone is going to stand up to its threats and bullying.

Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a bitter standoff in several areas along Line of Actual Control in eastern Lakh since May 5. situation deteriorated last month following Galwan Valley clashes in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.

China recently staked claim over Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan at Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council and opposed funding to project.

Pompeo, during a Congressional hearing on Thursday, told members of House Foreign Affairs Committee that “ actions are entirely consistent with what y have been signalling to world for deces you might even argue since 1989, but certainly since General Secretary Xi came to power”.

Secretary of State said China has desire to expand its power and reach. "y talk about bringing socialism with Chinese characteristics to world. Claims that y have w me for real estate in Bhutan, incursion that took place in India, se are indicative of Chinese intentions, and y are testing, y are probing world to see if we are going to stand up to ir threats and ir bullying,” Pompeo said.

“I am more confident than I was even a year ago that world is prepared to do that. re's a lot more work to do, and we need to be serious about it,” said top American diplomat.

In his testimony, Pompeo told lawmakers that India has banned 106 Chinese applications that threatened its citizens' privacy and security.

"Our diplomatic efforts are working and momentum is building to mitigate threats that Chinese Communist Party presents. All 10 ASEAN nations have insisted that South China Sea disputes be settled on basis of international law, including UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on Law of Sea). Japan led G-7's condemnation of China's national security law targeting Hong Kong,” he said.

European Union condemned law too and also declared China a systemic rival to us, he said. At rth Atlantic Treaty Organization, Secretary General Stoltenberg has called to make China a greater part of that alliance's focus. “We led a multilateral effort to ensure that United Nations World Intellectual Property Organisation elected a director from a country that cared about intellectual property.

"Our QU (Qurilateral Security Dialogue) -- US, Australia, India, and Japan -- has been reinvigorated. We've worked hard at this. Our diplomats have done wonderful work. I'm very proud of progress we are making. In dition to se multilateral efforts, Department of Justice is cracking down on Chinese intellectual property threats," he said.

US has sanctioned Chinese leers for ir treatment of Uyghur mirities in Xinjiang province, imposed export controls on companies that supported, and warned US businesses against using slave labour in ir supply chains, he said. US has terminated special treatment agreements with Hong Kong in response to Communist Party of China’s actions to deny freedom to people of Hong Kong, he said.

“We closed our consulate in Houston because it was a den of spies,” Pompeo ded.