The United States President Donald Trump reiterated his offer to mediate between India and China to resolve the border dispute between the two countries. While he says he is open to negotiating, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not in good mood over the conflict.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is known to be maintaining good relations with other leaders, especially his United States counterpart Donald Trump. Both have hosted mega-events of each other in their own countries. Speaking at his Oval office, Donald Trump claimed that there is a big conflict happening between India and China. In the briefing, he said,
“They like me in India. I think they like me in India more than the media likes me in this country. And, I like Modi. I like your Prime Minister a lot. He is a great gentleman.”
Speaking about the conflict, the President said,
“They have a big conflict between India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy. I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China.”
India and China yet to respond
It is the second time in the last 14 days that President Trump has said that he has spoken to Prime Minister Modi. However, neither the White House nor the Prime Minister Modi’s office has come out with a transcript of the claimed telephonic conversation. Donald Trump on Wednesday tweeted that he is ready and willing to mediate between the two countries. The following day, he retweeted his tweet and reiterated his offer and said,
“I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry is yet to respond to the statements by Trump. The two countries have been involved in a banter over the novel coronavirus pandemic as Trump had repeatedly called the virus Chinese virus and Wuhan virus. However, an opinion piece in the Chinese daily Global times refused Trump’s mediation and said,
“The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardize regional peace and order.”
Source: The Hindu
