NEW DELHI: China on Monday said it never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh amid reports emerging that five people have been abducted by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) from Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri district.
“China has never recognised the ‘so-called’ Arunachal Pradesh state. It is the ‘south Tibet’ region,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said during a regular press briefing.
The Indian Army on Sunday had asked the PLA if five civilians who went missing from an eastern border state days ago were in their custody. The Chinese are yet to reply to the questions.
Zhao also said that there were no details that could be shared yet and that he was not aware of the situation.
The villagers belonging to the Tagin community were abducted from the forest near Nacho while they were out hunting. They have been identified as Toch Singkam, Prasat Ringling, Tanu Baker, Dongtu Ebiya and Ngaru Diri.
The comments from the Chinese side come amid rising tensions since the June 15 violent face-off in Galwan Valley of Eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) resulting in the death of 20 Indian soldiers.
Tensions flared up yet again after India announced that preemptive action was taken by its troops on the intervening night of August 29 and 30 to prevent Chinese transgression.
Beijing accused Indian troops of illegally crossing over into Chinese territory.
Another statement from the MEA said that the Chinese side resorted to aggression even as corps commanders from the two sides were holding a meeting to resolve issues.