Ahead of Talks, China Claims Troops Have Disengaged at Most Sites

This news comes 4 days after Delhi announced that India and China had agreed on “complete disengagement” along LAC.

Border troops of China and India “have disengaged in most localities” following close communication via military and diplomatic channels, China’s foreign ministry said.

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

Border troops of China and India “have disengaged in most localities” following close communication via military and diplomatic channels, China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, 28 July.

June saw one of the deadliest clashes at the India-China border in Galwan valley, Ladakh in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. The Chinese side also suffered casualties but has not officially confirmed the details.

This news comes just four days after New Delhi announced that the two countries had agreed on “early and complete disengagement” along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, The Indian Express reported.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) last week on Friday said that they will hold more talks to ensure they “expeditiously” complete “disengagement and de-escalation” and restore peace and tranquillity, reported The Tribune.

The two have been holding frequent discussions via diplomatic and military channels to ease the situation.

“As border troops have disengaged in most localities, the situation on the ground is deescalating and the temperature is coming down. Currently the two sides are actively preparing for the fifth round of commander-level talks to resolve outstanding issues on the ground. We hope the Indian side will work towards the same goal with China, implement the two sides’ consensus and jointly uphold peace and tranquility along the border,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin.

There has been no official information from the Indian government or the Indian Army on China’s statement ahead of the fifth round of talks, which are likely to be held this week, the media report stated.

The main topic of contention in this discussion between the Corps Commanders will be reluctance by the Chinese side to step back from Pangong Tso which has in turn stalled the disengagement process, reports suggest.

Meanwhile, there is growing anti-China sentiment in India, which has triggered ban of Chinese apps, products and even protests.