India and China trade words over ‘first fire exchange in 45 years’
India and China have accused each other of making provocative militar y moves and firing warning shots along their disputed border despite talks on ending the escalating tensions.
China said Indian forces on Monday crossed i n t o t e r r i - tor y it holds and fired warning shots at a Chinese patrol in what it called a violation o f t h e i r a g r e e me n t s . I n d i a d e n i e d t h e c l a i ms a n d s a i d Chinese soldiers tried to surround one of its forward posts in a “grave provocation” and also fired warning shots.
China described it as the first exchange of fire between the countries in 45 years.
T h e n u c l ea r - a r med r iva l s have been engaged in a tense stand- off in the cold- deser t L a d a k h r e g i o n s i n c e M ay. Their defence ministers met on Friday in Moscow in the first high-level direct contact b et ween the sides since the stand-off began.
C h i n a’s we s t e r n m i l i t a r y command said the incursion o ccurred on Monday along t h e s o u t h e r n c o a s t o f P a n - gong Lake in an area known in China as Shenpaoshan and in India as Chushul. The two countries’ local military commande r s h ave h e l d s e ve r a l rounds of talks to defuse the tense stand- off. After shots were fired, Chinese forces took “necessary measures to stabilise and control the situation”, the command said in a statement citing spokesman Zhang Shuili. It demanded the Indian forces withdraw and investigate the move to open fire.
C h i n e s e f o r e i g n mi n i s t r y s p o k e s p e r s o n Z h a o L i j i a n repeated that Indian troops were the first to shoot. He said it was the first exchange of fire between the sides since 1975, despite the increasing tempo of recent clashes.
“The Chinese side has been b e e n s t r e s s i n g r e p e a t e d - ly that the t wo sides should p eacefully settle our differ - ences through dialogue and consultation,” Mr Zhao said. “Confrontation will not benefit either side.”
C o l o n e l A man An a nd , a n Indian army spokesman, said
China continued “provocative activities to escalate” tensions. He called the Chinese military statement an attempt to mislead domestic and interna - tional audiences.
Col Anand said the Chinese soldiers tried to surround an Indian military post and fired a few shots in the air when the Indian soldiers “dissuaded” them. He said Indian troops “exercised great restraint”.
Col Anand accused China’s military of “blatantly violating agreements and carrying out aggressive maneuvers while engagement at militar y, dip - lomatic and political level is in progress”. There was no word of casualties on either side.
Late last month, India said its soldiers thwarted Chinese militar y’s moves “to change the status quo” in violation of a consensus reached in past efforts to settle the stand-off.
The disputed 2,175-mile border between India and China s t r e t c h e s f r o m t h e L a d a k h region in the west to the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh in the east.