China hails Indian Army's 'objective understanding' on LAC

Beijing, Aug 20: China today appreciated the Indian Army's response on recent reports of incursions by the PLA in Ladakh, saying it reflected "objective understanding" of the "special situation" along the borders.

In a guarded response to the reports that the Chinese troops entered 25 to 30 km deep into the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Burtse area in Ladakh, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying called on media to be more objective in reporting such incidents. "China has noted relevant reports and the Indian position.

The Indian position reflects the objective understanding and rational attitude towards the special situation in the China-India border areas," she said in an apparent reference to denial of the incident by Indian Army officials.

Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag himself said "there is nothing like that". "The border troops of China and India are very clear about the actual situation on the border. For a long time, they have exercised restraint and have maintained peaceful coexistence," Hua said in a written response to PTI query over the presence People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops in the Burtse area which was noticed last weekend.

"On the whole, the situation along the China-India border is peaceful and stable," she said adding that China is willing to work with the Indian side to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity along the border areas. She also urged media to report on the border situation objectively. "China hopes that the relevant media would proceed from the fundamental interests of the people of the two countries and view and report on the situation along the China-India border objectively, truly and rationally," she said.

In a broad reference to the reports of incursions, specially the one at the Depsang valley in Ladakh sector last year, the Chinese Ministry of Defence last month said such incidents occurred due to different perception about the disputed border but were resolved through negotiations. "The boundary line has not been demarcated and both sides has different interpretation on the Line Actual Control," Colonel Geng Yansheng told a media briefing last month.

"Last year there was some incident on in the border region. All the issues have been properly solved though negotiations," he said without mentioning the stand off at the Depsang valley in Ladakh region where the Chinese troops pitched tents to assert their control over the area. They pulled out after weeks of negotiations between the two countries.

PTI