‘Not accurate’ and ‘nonsense’ — India and China in a war of words in New Delhi while flexing muscles across the Ladakh border

• India and China have finally responded to the issues along the border, with both pointing the finger at the other in a war of words.
  
• Anurag Shrivastava, the spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, claims that Chinese troops have gotten in the way of regular Indian patrols.
  
• Zhao Lijian, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, asserts that India is trespassing and infringing the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
  

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) claims that the reports of Indian troops crossing over China’s side along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are ‘not accurate’. “Any suggestion that Indian troops had undertaken activity across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector or the Sikkim sector is not accurate,” said Anurag Shrivastava, spokesperson of the MEA, in a statement.

Shrivastava claims that it’s not Indian troops who stepped over the line, but Chinese troops that have gotten in the way of the Indian Army. “All Indian activities are entirely on the Indian side of the LAC. In fact, it is the Chinese side that has undertaken activity hindering India’s normal patrolling patterns,” he said.

Caught in a war of words, both sides claim that there was no violation by them and the matter will be resolved through bilateral negotiations.

China’s side of the story
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian has dismissed the remarks of US Ambassador Alice Wells on Chinese aggression not being rhetorical as ‘nonsense’.


“The Chinese border troops are committed to upholding China's territorial and sovereignty security, responding resolutely to India's trespassing and infringing activities,” said Lijian at a press briefing pointing the finger at India. He added that India should “refrain from taking any unilateral actions.”

“The Indian troops strictly follow the procedures laid down in various bilateral agreements and protocols to resolve any situations, which may arise due to differences in perception of the LAC,” defended Shrivastava.

Senior Indian officials reportedly met up on Tuesday, May 19, to discuss the recent alterations as per LiveMint in light of border incidents between the two countries being the highest that they have been since 2015. As compared to 2018, activity at the border has increased by 64%.

The report claims that Indian and Chinese troops are on high alerts along the LAC with additional reinforcements added to their ranks at the Galwan River — the inflexion point for the 1962 war between the two nations — and Pangong Tso lake.

SEE ALSO:
Amidst a pandemic, both China and India have reportedly deployed troops in Ladakh as tensions flare up along the border

China reportedly triples its boats in India’s Pangong Tso Lake as tensions continue to rise

Trump's 'Obamagate' conspiracy theory just got blown to pieces