China’s South China Sea activities madness: US diplomat Thomas Shannon

NEW DELHI: Close on heels of China's intransigence that denied India an NSG membership, US on Wednesday made it clear that what China is doing in South China Sea ( SCS) region is madness, and noted that Washington views Delhi as a natural strategic power in the Indian Ocean Region.

“What China is doing in the South China Sea region is madness. Building air strips and landing aircraft on that. As far as their navy is concerned, all they are doing is building targets. Our own view is that China can keep the sea-lanes open through its navy in the region. It is our hope that China will be able to follow a rule-based international order,” US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon said in his address to a select gathering in the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) here. Shannon, a top ranking American diplomat, is in India on a four-day visit to discuss ‘rule-based global order’ with this Indian interlocutors amid China's assertiveness to change the geography of the SCS region and militarise the area. US had been sending ships to that region to harp on freedom of navigation in that region which China has dubbed as provocation.

India has strategic and economic interests in the region as its commercial and navy vessels pass through SCS as part of its expanding partnerships in the region.

"We see India as a partner. As China works to secure the South China Sea, it does so with the idea of broadening its presence in the Indian Ocean. We see India as a natural strategic power in the Indian Ocean," said Shannon, indicating Indo-US joint collaboration in the Indian Ocean will balance China’s presence in the region.

“…It is no coincidence that the US has a ‘rebalance’ to Asia policy, and India an ‘Act East’ policy, as we recognise the indispensable role of our partnership for peace and prosperity in the region.”