Republican lawmakers in the USA have sought Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s intervention in China’s aggression against India and Taiwan. Influential Republican lawmakers have urged Blinken to tell the Chinese leadership that its aggressive attitude in Asia is unacceptable. This demand has been made at a time when Blinken is going on a visit to China.
Republican senators, led by Marco Rubio of Florida, have written a letter to Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. In this letter, the Republican legislators have requested Blinken and Yellen to inform the Chinese leadership that their brazen aggression towards Taiwan and India is unacceptable.
The Senators have also urged both leaders to hold the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) responsible for its egregious human rights violations, unfair trade practices, a starring role in the fentanyl crisis, and aggression toward allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific. The letter says the CCP has stepped up its attack in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
The senators added in the letter, “As we have seen recently, General Secretary Xi has engaged in unacceptable and provocative behavior in the Taiwan strait and along the Himalayan border with India. Beyond the Indo-Pacific, the CCP has intelligence collection outposts in the United States, Japan, and throughout Europe to suppress dissidents and keep tabs on those who Beijing deems a threat. It is evident that General Secretary Xi is determined to use coercion and aggression against the US and our allies and partners to achieve his geopolitical goals. Deterring the CCP from achieving these goals, therefore, must be our top priority.”
Along with Marco Rubio, other senators who signed the letter include Chuck Grassley, Bill Cassidy, Eric Schmitt, Dan Sullivan, Kevin Cramer, Ted Budd, Rick Scott, Marsha Blackburn, Lindsey Graham, Shelley Moore Capito, Pete Ricketts, John Hoeven, and Bill Hagerty.
It is notable that China has border disputes with many countries. It claims almost all disputed areas of the South China Sea. However, Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has also built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea to expand its control. Even, China has territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea as well.
Meanwhile, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken before his upcoming visit to Beijing. In this meeting, the two discussed a wide range of global and regional issues, and both committed to deepening the bilateral strategic partnership.
After this meeting, Antony Blinken tweeted, “The United States is expanding cooperation with India to address global challenges. I had a good meeting with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval today to discuss deepening our strategic partnership.”
The United States is expanding cooperation with India to address global challenges. I had a good meeting with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval today to discuss deepening our strategic partnership. pic.twitter.com/HsTb0S8gKR
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) February 1, 2023
The Indian Embassy tweeting about the meeting said, “NSA Ajit Doval met Secretary of State Antony Blinken today. Both sides exchanged views on a wide range of global and regional issues of mutual interest and how to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.”
🇮🇳 NSA Ajit Doval met 🇺🇸 Secretary of State Antony Blinken @SecBlinken today. Both sides exchanged views on a wide range of global and regional issues of mutual interest and how to further strengthen the #India– U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. pic.twitter.com/HRypwr5oxj
— India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) February 1, 2023
Antony Blinken will be in China on the 5th and 6th of February. Blinken’s agenda is expected to include Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s nuclear arsenal, and US citizens held in China.
