Borderline: Prez Xi goes back but Chinese troops transgress LAC
20 Sept 2014 5:42 AM IST
Even though China on Friday said President Xi Jinping’s visit to India has given a ‘great boost’ to bilateral ties and the two sides should control and manage border disputes in a manner that does not impede growth of their relationship, Chinese PLA soldiers were reported to have crossed into Indian territory again and stationed in the Chumar region in Ladakh.
Official sources said about 35 PLA men returned to Chumar in northeast Ladakh and were perched on a hillock claiming the area to be part of China while another 300 soldiers were maintaining presence close to line of actual control (LAC). The standoff in Demchok and Chumar had cast a shadow on Thursday’s summit talks between Modi and Xi.
The Indian Army, which had starting scaling down operations from the area following the Chinese withdrawal last night, put a halt and again started pitching their tents for a possible fresh stand-off, the sources said.
They said that nearly 300 Chinese soldiers were spotted across the perceived LAC with many of them stationed in their vehicles while others on foot. Meanwhile, Beijing kept the belligerence down and treaded the official lie. ‘We believe that this visit is of great importance and gives great boost to bilateral ties between the two countries in a new historical era,’ Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing here, outlining the salient features of Xi’s visit to India. ‘Xi said on border issues, the two sides should continue with friendly coordination and pursue an equitable and fair solution that is acceptable to both the countries,’ Hong said talking about the Chinese President’s talks with the Indian leadership.
‘Before the final settlement, the two sides should control and manage the disputes and maintain peace and prosperity of the border so that it will not influence the development of bilateral ties. The Indian side agreed to work with China to properly handle border issues and find a way to resolve them as soon as possible,’ he said.
Official sources said about 35 PLA men returned to Chumar in northeast Ladakh and were perched on a hillock claiming the area to be part of China while another 300 soldiers were maintaining presence close to line of actual control (LAC). The standoff in Demchok and Chumar had cast a shadow on Thursday’s summit talks between Modi and Xi.
The Indian Army, which had starting scaling down operations from the area following the Chinese withdrawal last night, put a halt and again started pitching their tents for a possible fresh stand-off, the sources said.
They said that nearly 300 Chinese soldiers were spotted across the perceived LAC with many of them stationed in their vehicles while others on foot. Meanwhile, Beijing kept the belligerence down and treaded the official lie. ‘We believe that this visit is of great importance and gives great boost to bilateral ties between the two countries in a new historical era,’ Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing here, outlining the salient features of Xi’s visit to India. ‘Xi said on border issues, the two sides should continue with friendly coordination and pursue an equitable and fair solution that is acceptable to both the countries,’ Hong said talking about the Chinese President’s talks with the Indian leadership.
‘Before the final settlement, the two sides should control and manage the disputes and maintain peace and prosperity of the border so that it will not influence the development of bilateral ties. The Indian side agreed to work with China to properly handle border issues and find a way to resolve them as soon as possible,’ he said.
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