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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper hold a press conference at the Department of State on Sept. 21. (AP/Yonhap News)

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be traveling through four countries in South Asia just one week before the US presidential election. His trip appears to be part of the Trump administration’s efforts to play up the threat of China shortly before ballots are cast.

Reuters reported on Oct. 25 that Pompeo will be arriving in India on Oct. 26 with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper for the US’ third “two plus two” meeting with their Indian counterparts. In addition to matters affecting the US and India, the officials will reportedly be discussing the issue of the Line of Actual Control, the de facto boundary between India and China.

The Hindu and other Indian news media have reported that the officials plan to sign a bilateral agreement to share satellite information. A lack of satellite information has caused problems for India in its testy border conflict with China in the Himalayas. Experts think that satellite information provided by the US could improve India’s ability to respond to Chinese drone and missile attacks.

Pompeo will also be visiting Sri Lanka and the Maldives, key nodes in maritime transport in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka in particular has served as a major bridgehead in the Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the New Silk Road, advanced by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In the past few years, Sri Lanka and the Maldives have both taken out huge loans from China in order to develop their infrastructure. The US State Department explained that Pompeo will use his visit to the two countries to emphasize that they need to reduce their dependence on China in the long term.

Pompeo’s final destination is Indonesia, which is embroiled in a maritime territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea. In July and August, Indonesian President Joko Widodo reportedly turned down an American request for permission to land and refuel its surveillance aircraft in the South China Sea. That issue might come up again during Pompeo’s visit to the country.

“On every stop I will [. . .] work to find out with each of those countries the best ways that we can [. . .] cooperate to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Pompeo said during a press briefing on Oct. 21. “My meetings will also include discussions on how free nations can work together to thwart threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party.”

By Jung In-hwan, Beijing correspondent

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