Standoff result of Chinese actions along LAC: India
Govt says negotiation the way ahead; China criticises ban on apps, calls it a ‘mistake’
NEW DELHI/BEIJING: India on Thursday squarely blamed China for the tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) over the past four months and said the only way forward was through negotiations – reflecting the impasse created by fresh attempts by Beijing to alter the status quo along the disputed border over the weekend.
There was no word from Beijing on the latest situation on the LAC though the Chinese foreign ministry cited Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and yoga’s popularity in the country to criticise New Delhi’s ban on 118 Chinese apps and warned India not to join the US “clean network” programme, an initiative for an internet without security threats.
Talks being conducted through diplomatic and military channels to end the standoff that began in May suffered a blow when Chinese troops resorted to what were described as “provocative military movements” on the south bank of Pangong Lake during August 29-30. They were thwarted by counter-measures by the Indian side, which occupied several strategic heights and hilltops, and talks between local brigade commanders since Monday to ease the fresh tensions have been inconclusive.
“It is clear that the situation we witnessed over the past four months is a direct result of the actions taken by the Chinese side that sought to effect unilateral change of status quo,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.
“Now the way ahead is negotiations, both through the diplomatic and military channels. The Indian side is committed to resolving all outstanding issues through dialogue,” he said.
The Chinese side, Srivastava added, should “sincerely engage the Indian side with the objective of expeditiously restoring the peace and tranquillity in the border areas through complete disengagement and de-escalation in accordance with bilateral agreements and protocols”.
Without going into details, he said the local military commanders are still holding discussions to resolve the situation.
Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Rong refuted US deputy secretary of state Stephen Beigun’s recent remarks about
China’s “outsized” territorial claims at Galwan Valley and said: “China and India have the ability to resolve their border disputes bilaterally. We don’t accept countries outside the region pointing fingers, let alone meddling or making instigation, which will only endanger the regional peace and stability.”
Ji said China wants a “fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution through peaceful and friendly consultations”.
In Beijing, the foreign and commerce ministries criticised India’s ban on 118 Chinese apps and called for the “mistake” to be reversed. Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying questioned whether India was working with the US on such issues and called for New Delhi to adopt an independent policy.
The foreign ministry said that unlike the reason behind India’s decision to ban the apps, the popularity of Tagore’s poetry and popularity of Yoga among Chinese nationals didn’t mean that Beijing looks at such issues as “infiltration” or a “threat”.
India on Wednesday banned 118 mostly Chinese mobile apps citing data security and privacy concerns. These apps collected and shared data in a “surreptitious manner and compromise personal data and information of users that can have a severe threat to the security of the state”, the Indian side said.
Hua said the latest ban would harm the interests of Indian users and the rights of Chinese businesses. She issued a subtle warning about ties between India and the US: “...I don’t know if there is any correlation or interaction between India and the US. But India is an ancient civilisation with wise people. They should know what the US has done in cyber security, for example Dirtbox, Prism, Irritant Horn, Muscular .... ”
Commerce ministry spokesperson Gao Feng called on India to work with the Chinese side to maintain hard-won bilateral cooperation to build an open and fair business environment for international investors and service providers.
Srivastava defended the ban on apps. “...what we would like to say is companies, when they operate here, have to operate in accordance with the framework of the government of India,” he said.