Trump offers to mediate India-China border dispute

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday waded into the tense border standoff between India and China, saying he was “ready, willing and able to mediate” between the two sides.

Trump, who has in the past repeatedly offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir and been rebuffed, made the latest offer through a tweet. He also said he had informed India and China of his offer.

“We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute. Thank you!” he tweeted.

There was no immediate response from Indian officials. It also could not be confirmed whether Trump had formally conveyed the offer to the Indian side.

Thousands of Indian and Chinese troops are locked in eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), particularly in Ladakh sector following violent clashes early this month that left soldiers on both sides injured.

The Indian government made it clear yesterday that it would not allow any change in the status quo on the LAC and that it would respond to China’s actions with “strength and restraint”. _Agencies

Dhaka/AKA