Never recognized so-called Arunachal Pradesh, says China; 5 'abducted' youths by PLA still traceless

New Delhi: China on Monday (September 7) brushed off concerns over the whereabouts of the five youths from a village in Arunachal Pradesh allegedly abducted by China's People's Liberation Army(PLA) and said it has never recognised the northeastern state which it claims is part of south Tibet.

"China's position on the east sector of the China-India boundary, or Zangnan--the southern part of China's Xizang (Tibet), is consistent and clear," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a media briefing in Beijing, adding the Chinese government has never recognized the so-called "Arunachal Pradesh".

"I'm not aware of the situation you mentioned," the Chinese spokesperson said when asked about any updates about the missing Indian nationals.

The All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) has condemned the Chinese statement dubbing the state as part of "South Tibet".  "The people of the state outrightly reject the dubious statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry dubbing our state as part of 'South Tibet'. We strongly condemn such statements and advise the Chinese government to refrain from such notoriety," the union said in a statement in Itanagar.

The Indian Army had told its Chinese counterpart about the five civilians, who were engaged as guides and porters by the Army in the Upper Subansiri district on the Sino-India border, on Saturday.

Those allegedly kidnapped have been identified as Toch Singkam, Prasat Ringling, Dongtu Ebiya, Tanu Baker and Ngaru Diri. The Arunachal villagers had gone for hunting in a jungle when they were allegedly kidnapped by the PLA.

Two members of the group reportedly returned home and informed that they had been whisked away by the Chinese troops from Sera-7, an Army patrol zone located about 12 km further north of Nacho, which is the last administrative circle along the McMahon Line and is around 120 km from the district headquarters Daporijo.

"We spoke with them on the hotline and told them that it's suspected that some people have crossed across to your side and we will be grateful if you could hand them over back, as per what we do normally," Lieutenant Colonel Harsh Wardhan Pande, an Indian Army spokesman, told news agency Reuters.

"There is no earmarked line going through the forest or the mountains, so they keep moving here and there. So they might have gone there. It's a very normal thing," he said, adding they were yet to hear back from the Chinese.

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju took to Twitter on Sunday to say the Indian army has already sent a hotline message to the PLA establishment at the border point in Arunachal Pradesh and that a response is awaited.

The development comes at a time when the Indian army has enhanced its deployment along the 3,400 km-long Line of Actual Control(LAC) in view of the tense border row between India and China in eastern Ladakh.

Tezpur-based Defence spokesman Lt Col Harshvarshan Pande told PTI, "We have alerted our teams and are in constant touch with the civil administration."

The Superintendent of Police (SP) of Upper Subansiri reportedly said no one has lodged any formal complaint with the police or the armed forces that guard strategic areas along the LAC.

"We are trying to verify the fact and are in touch with the Army since there have been past instances of the PLA capturing locals from the LAC and releasing them," the SP added.