According to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Chinese state media on Thursday claimed that an Indian drone ‘invaded’ their airspace and crashed.
While the news agency, Xinhua, did not share the details of the exact time and whereabouts of the alleged drone-crash, it did quote Zhang Shuili, the deputy director of the Chinese army's western theatre combat bureau, expressing his discontent with the Indian government for “violating China’s territorial sovereignty”, the report added.
The Indian move violated China’s territorial sovereignty. We strongly express our dissatisfaction and opposition.Zhang Shuili, as reported by AFP
“We will fulfil our mission and responsibility and defend China's national sovereignty and security resolutely,” added Zhang, as reported by PTI.
The AFP report also say that Zhang had claimed that the Chinese border troops had carried out the process of identifying the device in a professional and respectful manner.
China’s problematic claim comes a few months after the two countries agreed to finally pull back from the 73-day Doklam Standoff, which ended on 28 August, after the Chinese troops agreed to halt the construction of a key road close to India's Chicken Neck corridor.
India had objected to the construction, by stating it was a threat to its security. Additionally, the area where the Chinese troops were building the road had also been claimed by Bhutan.
There was no immediate response from the Indian Defence Ministry, reports PTI.
(With inputs from AFP and PTI)
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