After admitting it suffered casualties, China's state media releases video of Galwan Valley clash

Image Credit: Shen Shiwei/Twitter

Beijing: After admitting for the first time that it lost at least 5 military officials during fierce hand-to-hand combat with the Indian troops, the Chinese state media on Friday released a video of the Galwan Valley clash in eastern Ladakh in June last year.

The video showing the confrontation between Indian and Chinese soldiers in June was shared by Chinese state media analyst Shen Shiwei. While sharing the video on Twitter, Shen Shiwei tagged: “Indian troops ‘trespassed’ into Chinese side". 

On-site video of last June’s #GalwanValley skirmish released.
It shows how did #India’s border troops gradually trespass into Chinese side. #ChinaIndiaFaceoff pic.twitter.com/3o1eHwrIB2

— Shen Shiwei沈诗伟 (@shen_shiwei) February 19, 2021

The video was released shortly after China officially acknowledged that it suffered casualties in the violent faceoff, and named four officers and soldiers who died in the border clash. Though China never disclosed the number of casualties it suffered during the Galwan clashes, it was widely reported that at least 30 Chinese soldiers were killed during the skirmish.

The acknowledgement by China came nearly eight months after the biggest military confrontation between the two neighbours in over five decades. China's military authorities have honoured two officers and three soldiers, including four who received the awards posthumously, for defending the country's western border, according to the official Xinhua news agency, which quoted The People's Liberation Army Daily, the newspaper of the Chinese military.

Five Chinese frontier officers and soldiers stationed in the Karakoram Mountains have been recognised by the Central Military Commission of China (CMC) for their sacrifice in the border confrontation with India, which occurred in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, the PLA Daily said.

The CMC is headed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, also General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China. The title of "border-defending hero" was conferred on Battalion Commander Chen Hongjun posthumously, while Chen Xiangrong, Xiao Siyuan and Wang Zhuoran received the first-class merit. 

Qi Fabao, who was seriously injured in the skirmish, received the title of "hero regiment commander for defending the border," the Xinhua report said. Three PLA soldiers were killed in the combat while another soldier died while crossing the icy river when he went to support his army mates.

#China China Central Military Commission has honored the "Heroic Regimental Commander in Border Defense" to Qi Fabao, (the #PLA officer in winter coat in video), for safeguarding the country’s territory in last June’s #GalwanValley skirmish. pic.twitter.com/GXEtQmUEQz

— Shen Shiwei沈诗伟 (@shen_shiwei) February 19, 2021

Asked why China chose to reveal the casualties suffered during the Galwan incident after over eight months, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, "the report has been revealed to give the truth to the public because the truth is long-awaited and is necessary for the people to know the true story."

India has said that 20 of its soldiers were killed in the fierce hand-to-hand combat on June 15 in Galwan Valley, an incident that marked the most serious military conflicts between the two sides in over four decades. While China acknowledged casualties, it did not disclose details.

"These heroes will be remembered by the Chinese people. Their sacrifices made to defend our territory will never be forgotten by the Chinese people,” she said. "We all know that conflict broke out in Galwan in June last year and responsibility does not rest with the Chinese side," Hua claimed. "We hope the border issue will be put in a proper place in our bilateral relations. We hope to work with the Indian side to properly resolve the issue and uphold the general picture and the interests of the bilateral ties,’’ Hua said.

Asked whether the details of the Galwan incident revealed by China today will impact Saturday's 10th round of Commanders-level talks to discuss further disengagement of troops, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said these are two separate issues.