September 1, 2020
China, India accuse each other of border violations
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
In a further escalation of tensions, India and China on Monday accused each other of violating a “consensus” reached between the two sides after recent clashes on the border in the Ladakh region, Anadolu News Agency reported.
The Indian Defense Ministry statement said that its troops thwarted “provocative military movements” in border areas of the Himalayan region where the two countries have witnessed a heightened face-off since this May.
“On the night of 29/30 August 2020, PLA [People's Liberation Army of China] troops violated the previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engagements during the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh and carried out provocative military movements to change the status quo,” said the statement .
However, the China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) accused the Indian side of committing violations.
“Chinese troops are taking necessary measures in response to Indian troops' provocations and will closely follow the situation and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, peace and stability at the border area,” the PLA’s Western Theater Command said, according to China's state-run Global Times.
The PLA said Indian troops had “violated the consensus” reached at multi-level talks between India and China and “again crossed the Line of Actual Control [LAC]” at the border on Monday and purposely launched provocations.
India also said that a brigade commander-level flag meeting is in progress at Chushul, Ladakh to resolve the issues. “Indian troops pre-empted this PLA activity on the Southern Bank of Pangong Tso Lake, undertook measures to strengthen our positions and thwarted Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on ground,” the Indian Defense Ministry said.
“The Indian Army is committed to maintaining peace and tranquility through dialogue, but is also equally determined to protect its territorial integrity.”
China claims territory in India's northeast, while New Delhi accuses Beijing of occupying its territory in the Aksai Chin plateau in the Himalayas, including part of the Ladakh region
The Galwan Valley, which is part of the disputed Ladakh region, is located on the Chinese side of the actual control line in the western section of the Sino-Indian border. And Chinese soldiers have patrolled the area for many years, according to China's Defense Ministry.
On June 15, troops from the two sides fought hand-to-hand combat in which 20 Indian troops were killed.
New Delhi and Beijing have blamed each other for the latest frontier tensions between the two sides who fought a border war in 1962 and have been involved in regular showdowns since.
The Chinese and Indian militaries have poured tens of thousands of troops into the region since the June fighting. But their military and diplomatic talks on easing tensions are in an apparent stalemate.
China must resolutely counterattack India’s opportunist move
In a strongly worded editorial on the latest flare up, the Global Times said Monday:
“The south bank of the Pangong Lake where the latest confrontation took place is under China’s control. India is trying to turn it into a new disputed area as a bargaining chip in negotiations. Obviously, India is taking an aggressive approach on border issues rather than prioritizing stability in border regions.
“But it must be pointed out that New Delhi is facing a powerful China. The PLA has sufficient force to safeguard every inch of the country. Chinese people have shown support to the government which won’t seek to provoke India, but does not allow it to encroach on China’s territory. China is strategically firm in the southwestern border areas and is also prepared for any circumstance. China welcomes it if India wants to co-exist in peace. If India wants to engage in competition, China has more tools and capability than India. If India would like a military showdown, the PLA is bound to make the Indian army suffer much more severe losses than it did in 1962.
“India should not have any illusions of Washington’s support, nor does it need to embolden itself by strengthening cooperation under the Quad framework. China-India border issues are bound to be solved by the two. The US can only support India verbally. How can it help India grab Chinese territory? What is really in the minds of the Americans is to let India and China consume themselves so that India can become a more useful pawn in the US’ China containment strategy.
“The confrontation in Pangong Lake shows that India did not draw any lessons from the Galwan Valley clash. It is still determined to provoke China. Since the Doklam standoff in 2017 when the Indian army crossed the border to provoke China, the tense situation in the China-India border area continues with the same logic. China-India border frictions are likely to prolong, and various kinds of crises, be they big or small, will become normal. We have to be prepared for this.”
the Global Times went on to say: “China needs to prepare to carry out a military struggle in the China-India border area. We should try our best to resolve frictions through peaceful means. But when India recklessly challenges China’s bottom line, China must not be soft. It must take military actions when necessary, and ensure it can win.
“China is several times stronger than India, and India is no match for China. We must smash any Indian illusion that it can deal with China by colluding with other powers, such as the US. The history of Asia and the world has told us that any force keen on opportunism tends to bully the weak while fear the strong. India is a typical opportunist when it comes to the China-India border issue, the Global Times concluded.
Abdus Sattar Ghazali is the Chief Editor of the Journal of America (www.journalofamerica.net) email: asghazali2011 (@) gmail.com
The Journal of America Team:
Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Senior Editor:
Prof. Arthur Scott
Special Correspondent
Maryam Turab
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