In its latest move in defending what it now sees as Chinese territory along the disputed Himalayan region bordering India, Beijing has released a statement blaming Indian forces for the clashes which left 20 Indian, and an unconfirmed number of Chinese soldiers dead.
In an announcement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Beijing said “Shockingly on the evening of June 15th, India’s front line troops, in violation of the agreement reached at the commander level meeting, once again crossed the LAC for deliberate provocation when the situation in the Galwan Valley was already easing, and even violently attacked the Chinese officers and soldiers who went there for negotiation, thus triggering fierce physical conflicts and causing casualties.”
Authorities in the Chinese capital then claimed historical sovereignty over the Galwan Valley despite India requesting no such claims be made.
Screenshot of Al Jazeera infographic
No records of any previous sovereignty claims by Beijing are known at present.
It is not the first time Beijing has claimed historical sovereignty over territories in other parts of the world however, – be they land-based or in international waters – the same modus operandi is frequently employed by the authorities in Beijing in territorial disagreements with multiple neighbors in East Asia, albeit oftentimes based on scant legal or historical evidence.
China’s foreign ministry went on to add “They deliberately made provocations in an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo of control and management. The Chinese border troops have been forced to take necessary measures to respond to the situation on the ground and strengthen management and control in the border areas.”
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