US reviewing its global force posture to counter China's threat to India, South-East Asian nations: Pompeo

Pompeo made the remark while answering a question as he attended the virtual Brussels Forum 2020 of the German Marshall Fund.

"We're going to make sure we are postured appropriately to counter the PLA. We think that is the challenge of our times, and we're going to make sure we have resources in place to do that," the US leader was quoted as saying.

"In certain places there will be fewer American resources. There'll be other places - I just talked about the threat from the Chinese Communist Party. So now there are threats to India, threats to Vietnam, threats to Malaysia, Indonesia, South China Sea challenges, the Philippines," he said.

India on Thursday said while China was amassing a large contingent of troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh since early May, its forces' conduct this year- which led to the violent faceoff causing heavy casualties- was in complete disregard of the mutually agreed norms between the two nations.

Official Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said in the weekly media briefing on the faceoff: "The incidents and face-offs along the LAC need to be understood in the larger context of recent developments.

 "At the heart of the matter is that since early May, the Chinese side has been amassing a large contingent of troops and armaments along the LAC."

 He said: "To provide for situations where the two sides encounter each other, a set of procedures and norms have been mutually agreed upon. These are reflected in a number of agreements and understandings. While there have been occasional departures in the past, the conduct of Chinese forces this year has been in complete disregard of all mutually agreed norms."

He said it is clearly established that it has been the Chinese actions thus far which have led to increase in tension in the region and also to the violent face-off of 15th June with casualties.  

At least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent face-off with Chinese soldiers  along the LAC in eastern Ladakh on June 15. Unconfirmed reports claimed the Chinese side too suffered heavy casualties during the fierce clash at the Galwan Valley, which is close to Aksai Chin, an area that is controlled by China but claimed by both the countries.