Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday that the Union government is rewarding China despite its increasing aggression along the Line of Actual Control.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief made the statement while addressing the party’s national council meeting in Delhi.

“Our soldiers are fighting at the borders bravely, but the problem is that we seem to be rewarding China for its aggression,” said Kejriwal. “In 2020-’21, we imported goods worth $65 billion (Rs 5.37 lakh crore) from China. The next year, this grew to $95 billion (Rs 7.8 lakh crore). Instead of punishing China, the government is rewarding it. What is the Bharatiya Janata Party’s compulsion?”

The AAP national convenor said that Centre needs to be stern with China. “We are importing slippers, toys, and clothes from China,” he said. “Can these things not be made in India?”

Kejriwal urged citizens to boycott goods made in China. “The government says that Chinese goods are cheaper,” he said. “We don’t want cheaper goods. Indians are firm patriots. They will buy Indian-made items, even if they cost double of Chinese goods.”

The Delhi chief minister also said that the Centre should work towards retaining high net worth individuals so that country can outpace China in terms of exports. “But you [Centre] are driving people away from India,” he said. “High net worth individuals are leaving the country. Call them all back. Ask them to invest in India, and soon, we will start exporting to China.”

Kejriwal’s comments came after Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector on December 9. Following the clashes, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had accused China of trying to “unilaterally change the status quo” on the border. Meanwhile, Chinese military claimed that Indian troops illegally crossed the Line of Actual Control.

The chief of the BJP’s Arunachal Pradesh unit Tapir Gao told United Kingdom-based daily The Telegraph that six Indian Army personnel were severely hurt and flown to Guwahati. He added that at least 20 Indian soldiers were wounded by Chinese troops in hand-to-hand combat.