New Delhi: China on Wednesday reiterated its claim of sovereignty over Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, a day after soldiers of the two armies clashed and lost lives for the first time at the border since 1975.
At a daily briefing at the Chinese foreign ministry, spokesman Zhao Lijian read out the statement of the Chinese PLA, which stated that the “sovereignty of the Galwan Valley area has always belonged to China”.
The public assertion by PLA western theatre command spokesperson Zhang Shiuli on Tuesday took place after the violent face-off at Galwan Valley between soldiers of the two Asian giants, which left 20 Indian soldiers dead and unknown casualties on the Chinese side.
To a question from PTI as to why China was claiming sovereignty over Galwan when it was regarded as settled border, Zhao said, “China and India are in close communication on the relevant issue through diplomatic and military channels”.
Watch | India-China Border Tensions: Military Escalation in Galwan
He added, “The facts are straightforward, so are the rights and wrongs. It happened on the Chinese side of the LAC. The onus is not on China”.
The Chinese foreign ministry’s read-out of the phone call between external affairs minister S. Jaishankar and foreign minister Wang Yi also indicated the same narrative. Wang Yi told Jaishankar that Indian forces had “crossed the LAC again” – which was again an implicit claim over the region.
China had entered into Galwan in summer of 1962 and overwhelmed an Indian post. A map circulated by China in 1962 had also shown the region within its territory.
But since then, Indian forces had always considered Galwan a trouble-free zone, where the LAC had been settled, unlike at other sections of the border with China.
By controlling Galwan Valley, China would have a dominating position over the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) road, which connects Leh to the Karakoram pass.