'China will not say anything but blame India': Tibetan parliament-in-exile on Tawang faceoff
Dec 13, 2022
Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 13 : China will never say that they have done anything but will blame India, Dolma Tsering Teykhang, Deputy Speaker of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile said.
In an interview with ANI, a day after report of a faceoff between the Indian and Chinese troops in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, Teykhang said, "Whenever there's a revolt in mainland China, to divert emotions, the Chinese do something at the border. China will not say they have done anything but blame India. We have to be very careful and focus on the border."
Earlier, a Tibetan in Exile spokesperson Tenzin Lekshay said, "If such things keep happening, then the Tibetan plateau will continue to be a heavily militarised zone. China needs to think deeply about how to sustain friendship and have trust-based lasting solutions."
In a statement on Monday, the Indian Army said the People's Liberation Army troops contacted the LAC in Tawang Sector which was contested by Indian troops in a firm and resolute manner.
The face-off led to minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides, it added.
Making a statement on the incident in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said no Indian soldier was killed or seriously injured while preventing the Chinese PLA troops from 'encroaching on Indian territory' during the December 9 faceoff in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.
Singh said, "In this faceoff, a few soldiers on both sides suffered injuries. I'd like to tell this House that none of our soldiers died or suffered any serious injury. Due to the timely intervention of Indian military commanders, PLA soldiers retreated to their own locations."
"This matter has also been taken up with China through diplomatic channels. I want to assure the House that our forces are committed to guarding our borders and ready to thwart any attempt that will be made to challenge it," the Defence minister said.
"I am confident that this House will respect the capability, valour and commitment of our armed forces," Singh said.
Singh further said the Indian Army bravely thwarted the attempt by Chinese PLA troops to encroach on Indian territory and forced them to withdraw to their posts.
"On December 9, 2022, PLA troops tried to transgress the LAC in the Yangtse area of the Tawang sector and unilaterally change the status quo. The Chinese attempt was contested by our troops in a firm and resolute manner. The ensuing faceoff led to a physical scuffle in which the Indian Army bravely prevented the PLA from transgressing into our territory and compelled them to return to their posts," Singh said in the Lok Sabha.
Earlier on Tuesday, Opposition members created a ruckus in Parliament over the incident along the Line of Actual Control (LaC).
Soon after the Defence minister's statement on the faceoff, Opposition leaders staged a walkout from the Lower House.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the situation on the India-China border was "generally stable".