As the India, China border tensions escalated this week, troops from both countries engaged in a seven-hour violent face-off in Galwan Valley that left 20 Indian soldiers dead and tens of other injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had convened an all-party meeting on Monday night, where he said a lesson was taught to those eyeing Indian territory. Hours after PM's remarks, China has put out a so-called "step-by-step account of the Galwan Valley incident" on the Chinese Embassy in India's official website.
The statement, attributed to Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian, claimed the Line of Actual Control that falls on the Chinese side had been patrolled by its troops for many years and said the "Galwan Valley is located on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control in the west section of the China-India boundary."
Zhao said that Indian troops had trespassed into China's territory in May and built fortification and barricades in an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo of control and management. The Chinese border troops were then forced to take necessary action to respond to the situation on the ground, the statement said.
The statement further said on June 15, Indian troops violated the agreement reached at the commander-level meeting on June 6. Zhao claimed the Chinese officers and soldiers who had gone for negotiation were violently attacked, which triggered conflict and in return casualties.
India is yet to respond to China's remarks on the Galwan Valley incident.
China's account of Galwan incident
On June 19, 2020, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian gave a step-by-step account of the Galwan clash and elaborated China's position on settling this incident.
Zhao Lijian pointed out that the Galwan Valley is located on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control in the west section of the China-India boundary. For many years, the Chinese border troops have been patrolling and on duty in this region. Since April this year, the Indian border troops have unilaterally and continuously built roads, bridges, and other facilities at the LAC in the Galwan Valley. China has lodged representation and protests on multiple occasions but India has gone even further to cross the LAC and make provocations. By the early morning of May 6, the Indian border troops, who have crossed the LAC by night and trespassed into China's territory, have been fortification and barricades, which impeded the patrol of Chinese border troops. They deliberately made provocations in an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo of control and management. The Chinese border troops have been forced to take necessary measures to respond to the situation on the ground to strengthen management and control in the border areas
In order to ease the situation, China and India have stayed in close communication through military and diplomatic channels. In response to the strong demand of Chinese side, India agreed to withdraw the personnel who crossed the LAC and demolish the facilities, and so they did. On June 6, the border troops of both countries held a commander-level meeting and reach consensus on easing the situation. The Indian side promised that they would not cross the estuary of the Galwan river to patrol and build facilities and the two sides would discuss and decide phased withdrawal of troops through the meeting between the commanders on the ground.
Shockingly, on the evening of June 15, India's frontline troops in violation of the agreement reached at the commander level meeting once again crossed the LAC for deliberate provocation when the situation in the Galwan Valley was already easing, and even violently attack the Chinese officers and soldiers who went for negotiations, thus triggering fierce physical conflicts and causing casualties. The adventurous acts of the Indian Army have seriously undermined the stability of the border areas, threatened the lives of Chinese personnel, violated the agreements reached between the two countries on the border issue, and breached the basic norms governing international relations. China has lodged solemn representations and strong protests to the Indian side.
During State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's phone conversation with external affairs minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, he repeated China's stern position, demanding India to carry out a thorough investigation into the incident, severely punish those who should be held accountable, strictly discipline Indian frontline troops, and immediately stop all provocative actions to as the ensure that such incidents do not happen again. A second commander level meeting should happen as soon as possible to deal with the situation on the ground. The two sides agreed to handle in a just manner the serious situation caused by the Galwan Valley clash, observe the agreement reached during the commander level meeting, cool down the situation on the ground as soon as possible, and uphold peace and tranquility of the border areas in accordance with bilateral agreements reached so far.
China hopes that India will work with us, follow faithfully the important consensus reached between the two leaders, abide by the agreements reached between the two governments, and strengthen communication and co-ordination on properly managing the current situation through diplomatic and military channels, and jointly uphold peace and stability in border areas."
