US Congress passes defence policy bill that calls out Chinese aggression against India

US Congress has officially passed USD 740 billion defence policy bill, which among or things include calling out Chinese aggression against India along Line of Actual Control (LAC).

US House of Representatives and Senate on Tuesday passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included key components of Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi's resolution langu urging Chinese government to end its military aggression against India along LAC.

China and India have been locked in a military standoff along Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May this year. Several rounds of talks between two countries to resolve standoff have t yielded any concrete outcome.

House and Senate versions of bill were reconciled by a bipartisan Congressional conference committee earlier this month.

inclusion of this provision, which Krishnamoorthi led as an amendment when bill passed House, reflects US government’s strong support for its allies and partners like India in Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

Krishnamoorthi’s measure, which passed each chamber with overwhelming bipartisan support, will become law if President Donald Trump signs it.

Trump has threatened to veto bill as it lacks a repeal of legal protections for social media companies. However, NDAA has been passed by Congress for last 59 years.

“Violent aggression is seldom answer, and this is especially true for Line of Actual Control, which is disputed border region that separates People's Republic of China from India,” Krishnamoorthi said.

“By including my resolution langu in NDAA and signing that legislation into law, United States government will send a clear mess that China’s military provocations of India will t be tolerated,” he said.

“ United States is committed to standing with our allies and partners like India in resolving border standoff using diplomatic means,’ Krishnamoorthi said.

As approved by conference report, powerful NDAA says that it is sense of Congress on aggression of China along border with India and its growing territorial claims.

Senate agreed to include provisions of bill that was passed by House in its version of bill.

House bill contained provisions that would express sense of Congress on cross-border violence between China and India and growing territorial claims of Beijing.

Expressing "significant concern" over continued military aggression by China along border with India, NDAA says that China "should work with" India toward de-escalating situation along Line of Actual Control through existing diplomatic mechanisms and refrain from attempting to settle disputes through coercion or force.

Attempts by China to advance baseless territorial claims, including those in South China Sea, East China Sea, and with respect to Bhutan, are destabilising and inconsistent with international law, says bill.

China is also engd in hotly contested territorial disputes in both South China Sea and East China Sea. China claims sovereignty over all of South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims.

Beijing has built up and militarised many of islands and reefs it controls in region. Both areas are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and or natural resources and are also vital to global trade.