Prime Minister Modi said that the era of expansionism is over, this is the era of development.
New Delhi:
Stung by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong message against “expansionist nations” in his speech to troops at an outpost in Ladakh today, China called the accusation “unfounded and exaggerated.”
“The era of expansionism is over, this is the era of development. History is witnessing that expansionist forces have lost or have been forced to back down,” said the prime minister, addressing soldiers during a surprise visit to Ladakh. after the June 15 crash. with China in which 20 soldiers were killed in action.
A sharp response came from Beijing hours later, through his embassy spokesman.
“China has delimited the border with 12 of its 14 neighboring countries through peaceful negotiations, turning land borders into ties of friendly cooperation. There is no basis in seeing China as ‘expansionist’, exaggerating and fabricating its disputes with neighbors,” Ji Rong, the spokesman, said. from the Chinese embassy.
This morning, Prime Minister Modi flew to Ladakh, where he was taken to an outpost, Nimu, located 11,000 feet above the banks of the Indus River. The visit was a moral boost for the army, said Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.
It was also seen as a powerful statement against Chinese aggression on the Current Line of Control (LAC).
The Prime Minister described as a “battlefield” the region not far from the Galwan River Valley, the site of the clash between Indian and Chinese troops on June 15, the deadliest since 1967.
The Prime Minister addressed the 14th Army Corps called the Corps of Fire and Fury.
“The enemy has seen your fire and your fury … The weak can never achieve peace, the brave can,” he said.
The prime minister also underlined a clear message to China that India will not stop building roads and bridges in the border area, which appears to have bothered the Chinese in recent months.
“In border infrastructure, the allocation increased three times. Border areas have been developed. Roads and bridges are being built on the border rapidly,” he said.
Previously, the Chinese Foreign Ministry had also reacted to the Prime Minister’s visit to Ladakh. “India and China are in communication and negotiations are underway to lower temperatures through military and diplomatic channels. Neither side should take any action that could escalate the situation at this time,” said Zhao Lijian, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Relations of China.
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