China urges India to 'strictly control' and 'restrain' front-line troops after Tawang clash

New Delhi: China on Tuesday (December 13, 2022) urged India to "strictly control" and "restrain" its front-line troops, days after the troops of the two countries clashed in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, resulting in minor injuries to some soldiers on both sides. China also said that the soldiers of the Indian Army "illegally crossed the line to block" a routine patrol of Chinese border troops.

"We urge the Indian side to strictly control and restrain the front-line troops, and work with China to maintain peace and security on the border," news agency Reuters quoted a spokesperson from the Western Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) as saying.

The Indian troops "illegally crossed the line to block" a routine patrol of Chinese border troops, the spokesperson added.

The incident occurred on December 9 in the Yangtse area in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector, which borders China's south.

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Meanwhile, China's Foreign Ministry said that the situation was "generally stable" along its border with India.

At a media briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the two sides have maintained smooth communication on border-related issues through diplomatic and military channels.

Wang also said that Beijing hopes that the "Indian side will work with us in the same direction" and smoothly deliver the important common understanding reached by leaders of both sides.

"And act strictly on the spirit of relevant bilateral agreements signed by both sides and jointly preserve peace and tranquility in the border areas," he added.

Chinese Defence Ministry, however, has not yet reacted to the faceoff.

Earlier on Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made a statement in Parliament on the incident and said that the Indian Army "bravely prevented the PLA from encroaching on our territory". 

"The Indian Army bravely prevented the PLA from encroaching on our territory and forced them to withdraw to their posts. Some soldiers from both sides were injured in the skirmish," he said in his statement in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

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The Tawang scuffle was the first since deadly clashes in June 2020 when Indian and Chinese troops were involved in hand-to-hand combat in the Galwan Valley of Ladakh, abutting the Chinese-held Tibetan plateau.