‘Spot where Chinese flag unfurled not in Galwan Valley demilitarised zone’  |  Photo Credit: IANS
Key Highlights
- The Chinese troops celebrated New Year in an area which is very much in Chinese territory: Army sources
- 20 Indian soldiers were martyred in Galwan Valley clash
- China’s provocative behaviour disturbed peace: MEA had said on Beijing blaming India for Galwan Valley clash
New Delhi: The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers did not unfurl China’s flag in Galwan where Indian and Chinese soldiers had clashed in 2020, a report stated Army sources have claimed. The IANS report quoted sources in the Army as saying that the spot where the Chinese flag was shown was not in the disputed area, which is a demilitarised zone as agreed in the series of talks between India and China following the June 2020 clashes.
The clarification from the sources came after a video was shared by a Chinese media outlet on social media showing PLA soldiers celebrating New Year and unfurling the flag, with the caption: “China’s national flag rises over Galwan Valley on the New Year Day of 2022.”
The flag was “special since it once flew over Tiananmen Square in Beijing”, the caption further read.
The sources told the news agency that the PLA soldiers did celebrate New Year in an area that is very much in Chinese territory.
A deadly physical clash between the Indian Army and Chinese soldiers at Galwan on June 15, 2020 night had claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers.
For months, China did not officially acknowledge the casualties on its side, however, media reports had then claimed that the PLA lost around 35-40 soldiers in the Galwan clash.
Beijing has repeatedly claimed that the Galwan Valley clash incident took place because Indian forces encroached upon China’s territory illegally. Giving a strong response to China;s false claims, the Indian government in September 2021 categorically stated that China’s aggressive behavior and unilateral attempts to alter the status quo in eastern Ladakh disturbed peace between the two countries.
“We reject such statements. Our position with regard to developments last year along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh has been clear and consistent. It was the provocative behavior and unilateral attempts of the Chinese side to alter status quo in contravention of all our bilateral agreements that resulted in serious disturbance of peace and tranquility,” the MEA had said in response to Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson’s comment that ‘Galwan Valley incident took place because India violated all the treaties and agreements and encroached upon China’s territory illegally and crossed the line’.