Ladakh standoff: China refuses to share details of disengagement

Srinagar: A day after Indian media reported about “de-escalation” along Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, where India and China are locked in a tense standoff, China refused to give details about the disengagement of border troops of the two countries at a regular ministry briefing.

Though, the foreign ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, said both sides were trying to “ease the situation” following dialogue between diplomats and military officers, reported Hindustan Times.

Ms. Chunying made the remarks following Indian media reports, which said that the armies of India and China had undertaken a “limited disengagement” in eastern Ladakh to demonstrate intent to end the month-long border standoff ahead of another round of military talks on today.

Without specifically referring to the military talks that India and China held on Saturday to resolve the problem, she said, “Recently the diplomatic and military channels of China and India held effective communication on the situation along the border and reached positive consensus.”

“The two sides are following this consensus to take actions to ease the situation along the borders,” Ms. Hua added.

Yesterday, Asian News International quoted unnamed sources that the armies have begun “disengagement” around patrolling points (PP) 14 and 15 in Galwan Valley and another in the Hot Spring area, adding the Chinese side has even moved back up to 1.5 km in two areas.

However, The Wire reported, quoting unnamed on-ground army sources from Ladakh, that during the talks, the interlocutors of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) “flatly rejected the Indian demand for Chinese troops to withdraw from areas they occupied in May and restore the status quo that prevailed in April.”