NEW DELHI: Amid the tension between the Indian and Chinese troops, a flag meeting between officers of both the sides in Ladakh on Wednesday ended without any outcome, even as the US said the border disputes are a reminder of the threat posed by Beijing.
Confirming the development, a source said: “There was a flag meeting between the Brigade Commanders of both the sides, but there was no outcome, thus the standoff continues.”
The tension further simmered on Tuesday when the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) accused the Indian Army of crossing into its territory and “blocking” its patrols and “attempting to unilaterally change the status” on the LAC between the two countries in Sikkim and Ladakh.
“The Indian Army has crossed the line across the western section of the Sino-Indian border and the Sikkim section to enter Chinese territory,” the MoFA said.
Hitting out at Beijing on Wednesday, Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Alice Wells said provocations and disturbing behaviour by China pose questions about how it seeks to use its power.
“The flare-ups on the border, I think, are a reminder that Chinese aggression is not always just rhetorical. And so whether it’s in the South China Sea or whether it’s along the border with India, we continue to see provocations and disturbing behaviour by China,” said Wells in a statement.
The Sikkim boundary has been settled International Border with China. But the Chinese troops have been trying to rake up the issue at Naku La for around four years and contesting the LAC in the vicinity.
As reported by this newspaper earlier, the border troops have been activated all across the 3,488 km-long LAC assessing the sensitivities.
The sources said this was part of the Standard Operating Procedure, according to which all the 23 identified sensitive points, passes and saddles are under the constant watch of the army.
The sources said ITBP troops are also in active stage with the Ladakh formation at its forward marked position.
On May 5, around 250 Indian and Chinese troops clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting in the Pangong Tso lake area in which soldiers on both sides sustained injuries.