Hours after Rajnath-Wei talks, China says India responsible for border tension

China has put the blame for the current border tension on India saying it is “entirely” responsible for the escalating tensions, just hours after the talks between defence minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe.

It said India should stick to the consensus reached between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that the dispute should be resolved through dialogue.

“The causes and truth of the current tension on the China-India border are clear, and the responsibility entirely lies with India. China cannot lose an inch of its territory, and its armed forces are fully determined, capable and confident in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” a Chinese statement said, reported NDTV.

India should “earnestly” implement the agreement reached between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the conflict should be resolved through dialogue, the statement said.

The talks between Singh and Wei took place in Moscow on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) regional grouping. The meeting was sought by Wei on Thursday.

India and China have been involved in a standoff along the LAC in Ladkah since June 15 when 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a clash with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

India has blamed China for causing the tension by intruding into its territory. It has demanded state ante quo of February along the LAC.  The Army last week said it had thwarted attempts by the Chinese army to “change the status quo” near the southern bank of the Pangong Tso lake.

Although there have been many rounds of military and diplomatic talks between the two nations before the latest dialogue in Moscow, there has been little disengagement along the border. India has continued to hold the forward positions saying it will pull back only after the Chinese do. The troops have occupied the strategic heights on the south bank of Pangong Tso and Rechin La.