NEW DELHI: The army detained a Chinese soldier on Monday after he inadvertently crossed into Indian territory in the Demchok sector of Eastern ladakh, where troops from the two sides face each other in the ongoing military confrontation since the beginning of May.
The soldier identified as Corporal Wang Ya Long, armourer of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), will be handed over to Chinese officers at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point after completing the formalities, according to established protocols. “The handover will probably take place Tuesday morning,” an official said.
“The PLA soldier received medical assistance that included oxygen, food and warm clothing to protect him from the vagaries of high altitudes and harsh weather conditions. A request was also received from the PLA regarding the whereabouts of the missing soldier, ”said the officer.
The PLA soldier, who had his ID in his pocket and belongs to the city of Shangxizhen in central province of Zhejiang in China, it was apparently lost and crossed the Royal Line of Control (LAC) in the early hours of Monday. “There does not seem to be any spy angle. He was disoriented when he was stopped by our troops, ”said another officer.
The incident comes at a time when the eighth round of corps commander-level talks between India and China will take place later this week. There was no tangible progress in resolving the standoff during the seventh round on October 12, although the PLA presented “a new set of mutual disassociation proposals,” as first reported by TOI.
India has remained steadfast in its position of “complete de-escalation” at troop engagement sites, as well as throughout LAC in eastern Ladakh, with the PLA initiating the withdrawal according to the principle of “first in. in, first out. ”
India had also rejected China’s demand that its troops first vacate the tactical heights they were preemptively occupying on the ridge line extending from Thakung in the South bank from Pangong Tso to Gurung Hill, Spanggur Gap, Magar Hill, Mukhpari, Rezang La and Reqin La (Rechin mountain pass) from August 29 to 30.
On video: confrontation in LAC: Chinese soldier detained by the army in Ladakh
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