China Lodges 'Solemn Representation' With India Over Claim of Army Troops Firing at LAC
New Delhi: After China and India traded accusations of having fired shots at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), China said that it was a “serious military provocation of an egregious nature,” and lodged protests through diplomatic and military channels.
The PLA western theatre command on Monday night stated that Indian troops had crossed the LAC and then fired warning shots at Chinese soldiers who had come to “negotiate”. In return, the Indian Army robustly denied this and accused Chinese troops of firing several rounds when they were forced to return after they approached an Indian forward post in the southern bank of Pangong lake.
Also read: PLA Troops Approached Indian Post With Rods, Spears, Clubs: Reports Quote Govt Sources
During the daily briefing on Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry echoed the statement of the military spokesperson and termed India’s behaviour as a “serious military provocation of an egregious nature”.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian also added that China has “lodged solemn representations with the Indian side through diplomatic and military channels on this”.
“We demand that the Indian side immediately stop dangerous activities, pull back trespassers, strictly discipline frontline troops, hold those who fired the shots in provocation accountable, and make sure such incidents will not be repeated,” he asserted.
Zhao stated that due to the firing incident by India, “the tranquility of the border areas was, for the first time since 1975, pieced through by the gun shots”.
“China has been reiterating that the two sides should seek to resolve issues through peaceful consultation and dialogue. Confrontation does no one good,” he added.
The latest spike in tensions occurred just four days after the Indian and Chinese defence ministers met in Moscow for the first face-to-face meeting at political level since the crisis in eastern Ladakh began in early May.
The Indian and Chinese foreign ministers are also scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the SCO forum in Moscow on September 10.
The Ministry of External Affairs had on Tuesday morning also issued a statement from the defence ministry that dismissed the allegations of firing by the Indian soldiers.
A press release was also issued by the MEA that stated that quotes attributed to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in China Daily and Global Times were “completely false and not based on facts”. “We urge the media to refrain from such speculative reporting,” said the MEA statement.
It is learnt that one of the reports was this editorial published by China Daily on September 3, which claimed that NSA Doval had stated that the Indian Army was “ready for a long-drawn standoff with China”.
This article went live on September eighth, two thousand twenty, at forty minutes past eleven at night.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
