Ahead of high-level meeting between India and the United States in September, the Trump administration in Washington has started turning up more heat on China. Tightening its noose around the Dragon, the US on Wednesday took major and more stringent actions against Beijing giving it shock in economic as well as strategic field. The Trump administration announced sanctions and restrictions on two dozen Chinese companies and associated officials for “taking part in building artificial islands in disputed waters in the South China Sea”.
The US action over the South China Sea has enthused Indian diplomats. They believe that the Trump administration going tough over Chinese aggressiveness in the South China Sea will step up pressure on Beijing more than ever before. Such move by the US may have far-reaching implications, say sources. Its reflections can be seen along LAC as well, where Chinese forces are in standoff with Indian troops for over a month. “That’s exactly what India wanted. New Delhi always wanted the US’ focus to be on Chinese expansionist attitude along LAC and South China Sea,” says an official.
Therefore, the Trump administration’s action against China on Wednesday has been welcome by New Delhi. What is important is that America has begun to show more fireworks ahead of the India-US strategic meeting to be held in September. The 2+2 format dialogue has to take place between foreign and defence ministry leaderships of India and the US. Both the sides are learnt to have decided to frame a joint strategy to counter and tame the Dragon, sources said. Therefore, every action that the US takes against China will set the agenda for this meeting. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be representing India in the meeting. US State Department Secretary Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defence Mark T. Esper will be representing Washington in the meeting.
The 24 state-owned firms which have under action from US include subsidiaries of construction giant China Communications Construction Co, telecommunications firms and a unit of the China Shipbuilding Group.
Sources say that this move is the latest step in the Trump administration’s efforts to pressure Beijing over its military buildup in areas of the South China Sea. The US Commerce Department said the companies “enabled China to construct and militarise disputed outposts in the South China Sea”.
“Since 2013, the PRC (People’s Republic of China) has used its state-owned enterprises to dredge and reclaim more than 3,000 acres on disputed features in the South China Sea, destabilising the region,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.