China Announces ‘False News’ After Reports of 20 Soldiers Injured in Border Conflict with India

Chinese state media have condemned what they call “fake news” reports, detailing a major clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Naku La, on the northern border of Sikkim, between the two countries.

Indian media reports on Monday suggested that up to 20 Chinese soldiers were wounded in hand-to-hand combat on January 20, which would be the most significant resurgence in tensions between the two, as dozens of soldiers died in fighting over the northern border of the Ladakh region in India in June.

From China Global Times The newspaper – a heavily nationalist publication of the Chinese Communist Party – said on Monday that the news was “fake news”, citing an unidentified source.

“There is no record of this incident in the frontline patrol records of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA),” the Global Times I wrote. “There was lesser friction between the frontline forces of the two countries, but if there were friction involving victims, it would be impossible not to be recorded in the Chinese patrol records.”

The Indian military also minimized the incident. “It is clear that there was a minor confrontation in the Naku La area of ​​Northern Sikkim on January 20, 2021 and this was resolved by local commanders according to established protocols,” said an army statement.

“The media are asked to refrain from exaggerating or exaggerating reports that are factually incorrect,” added the statement.

AFP quoted unidentified government sources as saying four Indian soldiers were injured when a Chinese patrol was forced to retreat by Indian soldiers. They added that an unknown number of Chinese soldiers were also injured. Indian media said at least 20 PLA ​​soldiers were wounded.

Both countries have strengthened troops along the 2,520-mile mountainous border since tensions increased last summer. Each blamed the other for the conflict, but satellite images showed that Chinese troops had established new positions beyond the Royal Control Line – the demarcation line established after the 1962 border war.

Indian and Chinese forces have been building new positions, roads and other infrastructure on both sides of the border for years. India has traditionally lagged behind China and politicians in New Delhi have warned that Indian forces are now at a disadvantage.

Patrols and construction projects occasionally conflict with Chinese and Indian troops, but greater violence has been avoided. This is partly due to a long-standing convention that troops in the region do not carry firearms.

The deadly clashes in June raised fears of limited conflict between the giant neighbors with nuclear weapons. The reinforcements increased the number of soldiers to almost 100,000 along the Himalayan border. Since then, delegations have been meeting to ease tensions. The ninth and final round of negotiations was held on Sunday and, according to Indian media, lasted almost 16 hours.