Will Aksai Chin become the next flashpoint between India and China? The Chinese media has accused India of constructing “illegal” defence facilities in the Galwan Valley of Aksai Chin, a region controlled by China and claimed by India.
Chinese soldiers have intensified control measures in the area, a state media report said quoting an unnamed military source. The latest round of friction comes days after Indian and Chinese soldiers fought in North Sikkim, India-China border, which left soldiers on both sides slightly wounded.
“In a resolute response to India’s unauthorised construction of defence facilities across the border into Chinese territory in the Galwan Valley region, Chinese border soldiers have made the required moves and heightened control measures,” the report said, quoting a Chinese military source.
“Since early May, India has been traversing the boundary line in the Galwan Valley region and entering Chinese territory. The Indian-side built defence walls and barriers to obstruct Chinese border defence troops’ regular patrol exercises, intentionally prompted disputes and tried to unilaterally alter the present border control situation,” the report said.
“The Galwan Valley region is Chinese territory, and the local border control situation was very clear. The actions by the Indian soldiers have dishonoured China and India’s pact on border issues, attacked China’s territorial sovereignty and wrecked defence ties between the two countries, according to the source”.
China’s border soldiers have taken required steps to increase an on-the-spot response and control of border areas, firmly safeguarding China’s sovereignty and security and upholding peace and stability in border areas”. The report added that troops from both sides were in contact with each other about the current situation.
Earlier, responding to border incidents, New Delhi said it was committed to supporting peace and tranquillity along the border with Beijing stating that such incidents could have been bypassed if there was a common perception about the boundary line.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson had stated on May 14 that India and China attach maximum importance to guaranteeing peace and stability in all areas of India-China border and referred to an affirmation about it by PM Modi and President Xi Jinping in their two informal summits.
“Occasionally, however, on account of difference in perception of the alignment of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), situations have arisen on the ground that could have been avoided if we had a common perception of the Line of Control (LAC),” he had stated.
