An article in Global Times (August 2) cited Chinese experts warning India of Australia's instigation on "the eased border standoff with China" after Australia's High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell said in an interview on July 30 that "Australia supports continued moves by India for de-escalation" at the LAC (Line of Actual Control) and "opposes any attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo". Qian Feng, Director of the Research Department of the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University in Beijing, told Global Times (August 2) that the position of Australia on the issue was expected. He said "Taking sides on India is not a surprising move from Australia as it is consistent with the country's role in the global picture - a stooge of the US and an increasingly-close partner of India."Qian warned India to be alert of Australia's instigation regarding the border standoff and said "The border tensions have been fueled by some Western countries led by the US since the conflict started and China-India relations might face more of such situations in the future. India needs to act cautiously on such provocations at this sensitive moment to ensure long-term security and economic stability between the two countries."