New Delhi: China on Monday (September 7) downplayed concerns about the whereabouts of the five young men from a village in Arunachal Pradesh allegedly abducted by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), saying it has never recognized the northeastern state that he claims it is part of southern Tibet. .
“China’s position in the eastern sector of the China-India border, or Zangnan, the southern part of China’s Xizang (Tibet), is consistent and clear,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. , at a press conference in Beijing, adding that the Chinese Government has never recognized the so-called “Arunachal Pradesh.”
“I am not aware of the situation you mentioned,” the Chinese spokesman said when asked about any updates on the missing Indian nationals.
The Arunachal Pradesh Student Union (AAPSU) has condemned the Chinese statement that qualifies the state as part of “Southern Tibet.” “The people of the state roundly reject the dubious statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry qualifying our state as part of ‘Southern Tibet’. We strongly condemn such statements and advise the Chinese government to refrain from such notoriety,” said the union in a statement in Itanagar.
The Indian army had told its Chinese counterpart about the five civilians, who were hired as guides and porters by the army in the Upper Subansiri district on the China-India border on Saturday.
The alleged abductees have been identified as Toch Singkam, Prasat Ringling, Dongtu Ebiya, Tanu Baker and Ngaru Diri. The Arunachal villagers had gone hunting in the jungle when they were allegedly abducted by the PLA.
Two members of the group reportedly returned home and reported that Chinese troops had taken them from Sera-7, an army patrol area located about 12 km north of Nacho, which is the last administrative circle along along the McMahon Line and is about 120 km from the Daporijo district headquarters.
“We spoke to them on the hotline and told them that some people were suspected of having crossed paths with them and we would appreciate it if you could return them, as we normally do,” Lieutenant Colonel Harsh Wardhan Pande, a spokesman for the Indian Army, told the Reuters news agency.
“There is no assigned line going through the forest or the mountains, so they keep moving here and there. So they could have gone there. It’s a very normal thing,” he said, adding that they still had no news from the Chinese.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju took to Twitter on Sunday to say that the Indian military has already sent a hotline message to the PLA establishment at the Arunachal Pradesh border crossing and that a response is expected.
The development comes at a time when the Indian Army has enhanced its deployment along the 3,400 km-long Line of Control (LAC) in view of the tense border line between India and China in eastern Ladakh.
Tezpur-based Defense spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Harshvarshan Pande told PTI: “We have alerted our teams and are in constant contact with the civil administration.”
The Upper Subansiri Police Superintendent (SP) reportedly said that no one has filed any formal complaint with the police or armed forces guarding strategic areas throughout LAC.
“We are trying to verify the fact and we are in contact with the Army, since there have been previous instances in which the EPL captured LAC locals and released them,” the SP added.
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