After a brief pause, induced by the five-point consensus reached on September 10 in Moscow Due to the disconnection and de-escalation, there were indications that the LAC situation remained tense and fluid, with China again blaming India for the Pangong Tso burst.
While describing the consensus reached by the chancellor S Jaishankar and its counterpart Wang Yi As an important step to alleviate the situation, China’s Ambassador Sun Weidong appeared to up the ante by citing statements from Indian ministries and also Indian media reports to claim that Indian troops had violated LAC and sought to change the status quo. in border areas.
“Recently, the relevant Indian ministries had stated in statements that Indian troops” got ahead “of Chinese military activity in the South bank from Pangong Tso Lake, which obviously revealed that there is (sic) illegal handover of LAC and a change of status quo in border areas, “Weidong said in a statement, adding that some Indian media reports had cited government sources for” reveal “that the Indian army fired shots on two different occasions.
The ambassador appeared to be responding to a statement from India on August 31 saying that Indian troops had preempted provocative PLA activity on the southern shore of Pangong Tso with the intention of unilaterally changing the facts on the ground.
As in its reading of the Jaishankar-Wang meeting, China called for the withdrawal of all troops and equipment that had “breached” LAC. The fact that on this occasion China has cited the Indian statement on “defensive military action” and extrapolated it to allege the violation of LAC suggests that the situation in Pangong, where the Indian army has occupied some strategic heights, is not to the liking from China.
Sun, however, expressed confidence in the five-point consensus, saying that even public opinion in India seemed to suggest that both sides had shown political will to resolve the border situation.
“Our two foreign ministers reached a five-point consensus, which includes that the two sides should follow the leaders’ consensus, ease tensions, maintain peace and tranquility in border areas, continue diplomatic communication, and accelerate work to finalize new confidence-building measures is an important step in the right direction, and will provide political impetus to ease the border situation and promote bilateral ties, “Sun said.
Sun further expressed the hope that if the two sides seriously implement the consensus reached by the foreign ministers and adhere to the correct means of dialogue and negotiation, they will find a way to overcome the current difficulties.
In this context, State Councilor and Chancellor Wang Yi reiterated in the meeting with the EAM that the imperative is to immediately stop provocations such as shootings and other dangerous actions that violate the commitments made by the two parties. The border troops must withdraw quickly so that the situation can decrease, “he added.
Underlining China’s position, he said that China supports enhanced dialogue between border troops on both sides to solve specific problems, and that China will keep in touch with the Indian side through diplomatic and military channels.
Regarding the future development of ties, he said, the two foreign ministers agreed that as the situation eases, the two sides should accelerate work to conclude new confidence-building measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquility in border areas.
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