Chinese Envoy Acknowledges PLA Casualties in Galwan Valley Clash

Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong told PTI there was “fierce physical conflicts and casualties between the two sides”

After remaining tight lipped about PLA casualties in the 15 June clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan valley, Beijing has now acknowledged that there were casualties on the Chinese side too.

In an interview with PTI, China’s ambassador to India, Sun Weidong, accepted that there was “fierce physical conflicts and casualties between the two sides”. The transcript of the interview has been uploaded by the Chinese embassy on its website. 

This is the first time there appears to be an official confirmation from China that there were casualties amongst PLA troops. On 16 June, the editor in chief of the Chinese government mouthpiece, Global Times, had tweeted that China had also suffered casualties.

“Based on what I know, Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash. I want to tell the Indian side, don’t be arrogant and misread China’s restraint as being weak. China doesn’t want to have a clash with India, but we don’t fear it.” 

Tweet by Global Times Editor-in-Chief 

He further claimed that the Chinese side didn’t release PLA casualty figures in clash with Indian soldiers because it “doesn’t want people of the two countries to compare the casualty number so to avoid stoking public mood”.

Media reports have so far indicated varying number of casualties among the PLA troops after the standoff. Some reports had claimed that a senior PLA officer had died in the clashes. This has however, remained unconfirmed.