China accuses India of crossing LAC, attacking PLA officers and soldiers

China on Thursday accused India of crossing the Line of Actual Control (LAC), deliberately provoking and attacking People's Liberation Army (PLA) officers and soldiers. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying further levelled allegations that Indian soldiers triggered fierce physical conflicts and caused casualties.

China further threatened India to not misjudge the current situation or underestimate China's firm will to safeguard its territorial sovereignty.

The Indian Army had said that 20 of its soldiers were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops during a face-off in Galwan on June 15 night. This is the biggest ever military confrontation between the two armies in over five decades. In a statement, the army said that almost the same number of Chinese troops have been killed during the clashes in the Galwan Valley.

Indian front-line troops broke the consensus and crossed the Line of Actual Control, deliberately provoking and attacking Chinese officers and soldiers, thus triggering fierce physical conflicts and causing casualties.

— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) June 18, 2020

India must not misjudge the current situation or underestimate China's firm will to safeguard its territorial sovereignty.

— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) June 18, 2020

Taking to the micro-blogging site, Twitter, Chunying said, "Indian front-line troops broke the consensus and crossed the Line of Actual Control, deliberately provoking and attacking Chinese officers and soldiers, thus triggering fierce physical conflicts and causing casualties."

"India must not misjudge the current situation or underestimate China's firm will to safeguard its territorial sovereignty," she added.

The Indian Army on June 16 had said in a statement, "Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of 15/16 June 2020. 17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the stand-off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20. The Indian Army is firmly committed to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation," the official release had said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had on June 18 grieved the death of the Army personnel asserting that the loss of soldiers during a face-off in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh "is deeply disturbing and painful".

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Singh had said that the soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives in the highest traditions of the Indian Army. He added that the nation will never forget their bravery and sacrifice. 

Extending his sympathies to the families of the martyred soldiers, Singh had said that the nation stands shoulder to shoulder with them in this difficult hour. 

"The loss of soldiers in Galwan is deeply disturbing and painful. Our soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives in the highest traditions of the Indian Army," Singh had tweeted.

"The Nation will never forget their bravery and sacrifice. My heart goes out to the families of the fallen soldiers. The nation stand shoulder to shoulder with them in this difficult hour. We are proud of the bravery and courage of India’s breavehearts," he had also tweeted.