‘Not aware of it’, says Beijing official of alleged scuffle between Indian, Chinese troops in Ladakh
PLA soldiers allegedly attempted to enter the Indian side from two areas between 6 am and 9 am on Tuesday, resulting in stone pelting from both ends.
Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said she did not have any information about an alleged Chinese incursion in Ladakh. Indian troops on Tuesday reportedly foiled an attempt by Chinese soldiers to enter Ladakh from the north bank of the Pyangong lake, unidentified officials told PTI.
Soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army tried to enter the Indian side from two points – Finger Four and Finger Five – between 6 am and 9 am, resulting in stone pelting that caused minor injuries to troops on both sides, the officials added.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hu Chunying, however, said she was not aware of such a development. “I am not aware of the information,” the Chinese spokesperson said.
“The Chinese side is committed to peace and tranquillity of the China-India border,” Hu said. “We urge the Indian side to abide by the Line of Actual Control and relevant conventions between the two sides.”
The Indian soldiers are believed to have formed a human chain to stop the Chinese troops from advancing. The PLA personnel then began to hurl stones at the Indian guards, who retaliated.
“There was a scuffle between the two sides, which included some stone pelting as well, after Indian soldiers blocked two attempts by People’s Liberation Army troops to enter Indian territory,” said an unidentified official, according to The Times of India. “Personnel from both sides received some injuries in the stone pelting. The rival troops later pulled back from the confrontation site after the customary banner drill, under which both sides hold banners before stepping back to their respective positions.”
The Indian Army, however, refused to comment on the incident.
The incident comes while India and China have been locked in a diplomatic standoff for more than a month. Both nations have maintained that troops from the other country had transgressed into their territory in the Sikkim sector’s Doklam area.
Bilateral ties have been strained since the Indian Army stopped China from constructing a road in the region. New Delhi had made it clear that it will not allow China to construct a motorable road up to the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction through the Doklam plateau.
