Speaking to CNN member news18, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday that “a significant number of” Chinese troops were moving to the Actual Control Line (LAC) between the two countries.
“It is true that the Chinese people are on the border. They claim to have their own land. Our claim is our area. There is a disagreement about this … India did what it had to do,” Singh said during the interview.
“We do not want any country to bow before us, and we will not bow before any country.”
India and China share one of the longest land borders in the world. In 1962, the two countries started a bloody Himalayan border war, and tensions have been breaking occasionally for decades since.
Last month, an aggressive cross-border conflict between the Chinese and Indian forces resulted in minor injuries in the troops. The incident has been followed up in recent weeks with unverified reports of tensions in the mountainous area, but neither side accepted anything unusual.
“The two parties can resolve related issues through border-related mechanisms and diplomatic channels,” he said. Said.
“The Chinese border defense troops supported border control measures and made the necessary moves in response to the construction of India’s recent illegal defense facilities in the Galwan Valley region to the Chinese border in May,” the article said.
Actual Control Line
In 1993, after years of land deviations and negotiations, China and India finally signed an agreement to try to set a long border between the two countries.
Former Indian Foreign Minister Nirupama Rao said on his official Twitter account that Delhi and Beijing could not agree on the length of the border between the two countries.
“India China border is 3,488 kilometers (2,167 miles) … In China definition, India-China border is 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles).” Said.
Chinese state media also addressed this issue.
“There is no real control line recognized by both sides along the Sino-Indian border,” the Global Times said in an article on May 25th. Said.
USA backs India
On May 29, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo entered the regional saga and voiced concerns about the border dispute in a podcast.
“The Chinese Communist Party – the nature of their activities … Even today, China’s growing forces have moved to the north of India on the actual control line at the border with India,” Pompeo said. Said. “These are actions by authoritarian regimes and have a real effect.”
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said last month that the United States would be willing to mediate or arbitrate border disputes between India and China.
“We have informed both India and China that the US can be ready, willing and mediated by the current border dispute. Thank you!” she tweeted.
Relations between the U.S. and China quickly deteriorated during the coronavirus pandemic and Beijing trying to tighten its grip on the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said there is no need for “third party” intervention at the Indian border. However, US officials continued to talk about the situation.
“China shows once again that it is willing to bully its neighbors instead of resolving conflicts according to international law.”
“I urge China to respect the norms and use diplomacy and existing mechanisms to address border issues with India.”
