‘We stand with friends’: US stand with India, slams China for letting PLA soldier carry Olympics torch

Washington DC, Feb 04: As China ‘politicises’ the Beijing Olympics to provoke India by choosing a PLA soldier who attacked Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley attacks in 2020 as a torchbearer, the United States has once again asserted that it stands with India, against Chinese aggression. It has slammed the Xi Jinping-led country and condemned the politicisation of the Olympics.

 

 

During the daily press briefing, when the State Department spokesperson, Ned Price, was asked about China's decision to ‘politicise’ the sporting event, he said, "When it comes to the India-China border situation, we continue to support direct dialogue and a peaceful resolution of the dispute."

 

"We have previously voiced our concerns on Beijing's pattern of ongoing attempts to intimidate its neighbours. As we always do, we stand with friends. We stand with partners and allies to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values in the Indo-Pacific," he said.

This comes hours after several lawmakers slammed China for choosing a PLA soldier and called it "deliberately provocative" from China’s side. Raising objections to the decision, US Foreign Relations Committee member James Risch slammed China for its provocative practices which were intentionally hurting India's 'sovereignty'.

 

 

 

Further condemning the Xi Jinping-led regime, the US Senator also shed light on the atrocities inflicted on Uyghur Muslims by the Chinese army. He said that the country was trying to glorify the PLA's ill motives through the event.

 

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Republican Senator Jim Risch questioned China’s action and reaffirmed its stance against Uyghurs' oppression. "It's shameful that Beijing chose a torchbearer for the Olympics 2022 who's part of the military command that attacked India in 2020 and is implementing genocide against the Uyghurs. The US will continue to support Uyghur freedoms and the sovereignty of India," Risch said.

 

Furthermore, US Senator Marco Rubio also hit out at Beijing for the politicisation of the Olympics event. "Another outrageous example of the #CCP's flagrant politicization of Beijing2022. Their decision to choose a soldier who participated in a 2020 ambush against Indian troops as a torchbearer is appalling and deliberately provocative," Senator Marco Rubio said.

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