Published 07:06 IST, June 26th 2020
'US reviewing its global force posture to counter Chinese Army's threat to India': Pompeo
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday said he spoke with EU Foreign Ministers earlier this month about the "provocative military actions" of the PLA
United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday said he spoke with European Union (EU) Foreign Ministers earlier this month about the "provocative military actions" of the Chinese Army. Citing the example of "deadly border confrontations" with India, he asserted that Washington will make sure it is postured appropriately to counter People's Liberation Army (PLA) in view of the threat from Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to India, Vietnam and other countries.
'United States resources will be at other places'
"I spoke this month with EU Foreign Ministers, I got a lot of feedback on CCP, laid out a series of facts that talked about PLA's provocative military actions including its continued aggression in the South China Sea, deadly border confrontations with India and threats against peaceful neighbours," Pompeo said during the Brussels Forum virtual conference.
"There will be fewer US resources in certain places. They will be at other places as there is a threat from the CCP to India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the South China Sea. We will make sure we are postured appropriately to counter the PLA," he said.
The force posture review is being done at the direction of President Donald Trump, as part of which the US is reducing the number of its troops in Germany from about 52,000 to 25,000, Pompeo said.
Pompeo describes CCP as a "rogue actor"
Last week, Pompeo criticised the Chinese Army for "escalating" the border tension with India and militarizing the strategic South China Sea. He also described the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) as a "rogue actor." Pompeo said that the behaviour of CCP is fundamentally putting the American people's security at risk and stressed that the Donald Trump administration is the first in decades to take this threat seriously.
The top US diplomat lashed out at China for making "empty promises" during last week's China-Africa summit and said that Chinese President Xi Jinping "failed to promise real transparency and accountability" for Beijing's role in "unleashing" the deadly Coronavirus.
China has been fast expanding military and economic influence in the Indo-Pacific region, triggering concern in various countries of the region and beyond.
China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea. Beijing has built up and militarised many of the islands and reefs it controls in the region. Both areas are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources and are vital to global trade.
(With agency inputs)
Updated 07:06 IST, June 26th 2020