“The sovereignty over the Galwan Valley area has always belonged to China,” PLA western theatre command spokesperson Colonel Zhang Shiuli said.
New Delhi| After the violent face-off on Monday night between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley region of East Ladakh where 20 Indian soldiers had to lose their lives, China on Wednesday claimed sovereignty over the entire Galwan valley.
“The sovereignty over the Galwan Valley area has always belonged to China,” PLA western theatre command spokesperson Colonel Zhang Shiuli said.
India, on Thursday, rubbished China’s claim saying such “untenable claims” go against an understanding between the senior military commanders reached on June 6 to de-escalate and disengage along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
In a statement issued at 1 PM today, external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava rejected China’s claim of sovereignty over Galwan Valley.
Srivastava referred to the agreement reached by senior military commanders from both sides on June 6 for de-escalation and disengagement along the LAC and stressed that “Making exaggerated and untenable claims is contrary to this understanding.”
External affairs minister S Jaishankar, in his call to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday, said the Indian side has insisted on the implementation of the agreement between the military commanders.
According to the Indian readout of a telephonic conversation, Jaishankar said, “At the conclusion of the discussion, it was agreed that the overall situation would be handled in a responsible manner, and both sides would implement the disengagement understanding of June 6 sincerely.”
“Ground commanders were meeting regularly to implement this consensus throughout the last week. While there was some progress, the Chinese side sought to erect a structure in Galwan Valley on our side of the LAC…It reflected an intent to change the facts on the ground in violation of all our agreements to not change the status quo,” the External Affairs Minister was quoted saying by the readout.
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