No Chinese troops in POK: China

Jul 2, 2015

—

By Hardev Sanotra

China has denied any of its armed personnel were posted in Pakistani Kashmir, stating that these were “just stories”.

In this photograph taken on July 10, 2008, a Chinese soldier (L) and an Indian soldier stand guard at the Chinese side of the ancient Nathu La border crossing between India and China. India's foreign minister announced plans on April 25, 2013, to visit China amid a border dispute, saying both countries had a mutual interest in not allowing it to "destroy" long-term progress in ties. According to officials in New Delhi, a platoon of Chinese troops set up a camp inside Indian territory on April 15, 2013. India has since called on the Chinese soldiers to withdraw, but several meetings between local army commanders and diplomats from both sides have failed to resolve the stand-off — In this photograph taken on July 10, 2008, a Chinese soldier (L) and an Indian soldier stand guard at the Chinese side of the ancient Nathu La border crossing between India and China. India’s foreign minister announced plans on April 25, 2013, to visit China amid a border dispute, saying both countries had a mutual interest in not allowing it to “destroy” long-term progress in ties. According to officials in New Delhi, a platoon of Chinese troops set up a camp inside Indian territory on April 15, 2013. India has since called on the Chinese soldiers to withdraw, but several meetings between local army commanders and diplomats from both sides have failed to resolve the stand-off

A senior leader in charge of bilateral relations with India and Pakistan said that with modern technology and satellites no troops could remain undetected anywhere.

“Even 5,000 ants cannot hide from being seeing,” Deputy Diretor-General of Department of Asian Affairs at the foreign minister, Huang Xilian said here.

Xilian recently return from Kathmandu after attending the conference on reconstruction with China’s foreign minister. India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was also there. The two ministers met at the sidelines of the donor conference.

The DDG, who was meeting visiting Indian journalists and those based in Beijing, said that any mention of armed forces in the region (Pakistani Kashmir) “was groundless”. India had “very good spy satellites”, so where could the troops hide, he asked. “Show us the evidence,” he added.

He was responding to a question about comments made by senior army personnel in India on the presence of Chinese troops in the disputed area. He said perhaps the construction workers in uniform were “mistaken” for Chinese armed men. He said China always hoped that such comments were made only “after checking facts”.

Responding to another question, Xilian said that China was aware of the concern shown by India on construction activities in the region. “But these are only commercial ventures” which had been going on for years. “There’s nothing new there,” he said. The government of China had no activity of military or other kind in the region.