Beijing says LAC situation cooling down, but 40,000 PLA troops still deployed along LAC
While face-off is still on at some friction points on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh and India is asking China to “sincerely” implement pacts to defuse tension, Beijing on Tuesday claimed that the troops from both sides have completed disengagement and situation is “cooling down.”
China made this assertion even though more than 40,000 of its troops are still deployed on the front and depth areas and its soldiers have not withdrawn from Pangong Tso (lake).
The Chinese Foreign Ministry also said efforts are on to hold the fifth round of Corps Commander-level talks. It is likely to take place later this week. The last meeting took place on July 14.
The Global Times, the Government mouthpiece of China, while reporting Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s observations, also said the disengagement on the frontline has completed in most locations following close communications between the two sides via military and diplomatic channels.
“The situation is now continuing to head in the direction of easing and cooling down,” the spokesperson said at a routine press conference in Beijing on Tuesday.
“A fifth round of commander-level talks is currently under preparations to resolve the remaining issues,” Wang said. Four rounds of commander-level talks and three meetings on border affair discussions and coordination have been held, he added.
Wang said China hopes India can meet China halfway, implement the consensus both sides have reached and safeguard peace and stability in the border region together.
His statement came after apparently expressing concern over the Chinese reluctance to pull back its troops, India asked it last week to “sincerely implement” the agreement arrived between the two Corps Commanders on the last four rounds of parleys.
Responding to a specific question on Tuesday in Beijing whether the Chinese had pulled back from friction points, including the Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra, Wenbin said disengagement was completed in most areas.
Last Friday, joint secretary level officers of the foreign ministries of two countries held talks under the aegis the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs. India then asked China to honour all the agreements and restore peace and tranquility.
The External Affairs Ministry in a statement said after the meeting the two sides agreed “it was necessary for both sides to sincerely implement the understandings reached between senior (military) commanders in their meetings till date.”
India has throughout maintained since the face-offs began nearly nine weeks back that status quo ante has to be restored with the Chinese troops going back to their positions as in April last.
Incidentally, the first stand-off was triggered in the Pangong Tso after the Chinese troops obstructed an Indian patrol leading to fisticuffs on May 5. The Chinese intruded more than five kms there and are yet to withdraw leading to tension in the area.
In the next round of talks, the two Corps Commanders will focus on hastening the process of withdrawal of additional troops from the front and depth areas, sources said here on Tuesday. India will also ask China to pull back from the Pangong Tso where the Chinese have now occupied some heights on mountain spurs. The Chinese have also built a temporary jetty in the Indian region of the lake for its fast interceptor boats.