A day after a visiting US General termed as “alarming” the Chinese infrastructure build-up in Ladakh, India on Thursday said the Government is committed to safeguarding territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country. Beijing called the US officer’s remarks as a “despicable act” and criticised the attempts to “add fuel to fire”.
The Chinese response came after US Army’s Pacific Commanding General Charles Flynn termed the Chinese activities in the Ladakh region as “eye opener”.
On a three-day visit to India, Flynn also said on Wednesday the “destabilising and corrosive” behaviour of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the Indo-Pacific region is simply not helpful.
Reacting to the US General’s remarks, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India carefully monitors developments along its border areas, including the construction of infrastructure by the Chinese side in the eastern Ladakh.
“The Government is committed to and takes all adequate and appropriate measures to safeguard territorial integrity and sovereignty as the developments in recent years have clearly demonstrated,” Bagchi said.
He said the Government has taken various measures in recent years to develop infrastructure along the border areas to not only meet India’s strategic and security requirements but also facilitate the economic developments of the areas.
“As far as the current situation (in eastern Ladakh) is concerned, we have maintained continuous communication with the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels,” Bagchi said. India will maintain its dialogue with the Chinese side to resolve the remaining issues in eastern Ladakh, he added.
In Beijing, China termed the critical remarks by the US General as a “despicable act” and criticised the attempts of some American officials to “add fuel to fire”.
“Moreover, India and China have the will and capability to properly resolve their differences through talks,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said while replying to a question on the comments by Flynn.
“This border issue is between China and India (and) the two sides have the will and capability to properly resolve the issue through talks,” Zhao said. He also said “some US officials are trying to add fuel to the fire and pointing fingers. This is a despicable act. We hope they will do more to contribute to regional peace and stability”.
He reiterated that the situation at eastern Ladakh where the two sides had over two year-long military standoff is “stabilizing on the whole and the frontline forces from both countries have realised disengagement in most areas along the western section”.
His remarks came in the backdrop of both the countries engaging at the diplomatic and military levels to find ways to defuse tension at the LAC in Ladakh. The military commanders of both the sides have held 15 rounds of talks, so far, since trouble erupted in May 2020.
Last month, it emerged that China is constructing a second bridge in an area held by it around the strategically key Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh and this could help its military to quickly mobilize its troops in the region.
Meanwhile, the regular talks have resulted in complete disengagement last year on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.
Friction points now exist at three more places leading to tension. Also, more than 50,000 troops each from both sides are deployed at the front at the LAC.
