China and India troops clash in Western Himalayas
Tension between India and China heightened on Tuesday after Indian and Chinese soldiers briefly clashed in a disputed area of the Western Himalayas, according to a report from Indian officials that was denied by Beijing.
Chinese troops allegedly threw stones at Indian soldiers near the Pangong Lake in the Ladakh region and had twice tried to enter the Indian territory but were then pushed back, Indian officials said.
The confrontation exacerbated tensions between the two countries which were already engaged in a two month standoff in another part of the border over a strategic Himalayan plateau.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that after India demanded Chinese troops pull back 250 metres, China counter offered to move its troops back 100 metres.
The two sides have frequently accused each other of invading each other's territories, although clashes are rare in the area.
India and China began disputing in June when India sent troops to prevent China from extending a road through the Doklam territory- otherwise known as "Donglang" in Chinese, prompting Beijing to accuse India of trespassing on Chinese soil.
While, China told India to withdraw its troops before any proper negotiation to take place, India said both sides should withdraw their forces at the same time.
Beijing's foreign ministry dismissed the report that China offered to reposition its troops, saying, "China will not trade its territorial sovereignty under any circumstances
“China’s position on solving this incident is clear and firm. India must immediately and unconditionally withdraw all its trespassing troops and equipment back to the Indian side of the border."
Sun Hongnian, a borderland expert of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the SouthAsian Monitor agency the Reuters report was “fake news” coming possibly from India, which “intends to turn Donglang into a disputed area”.