Indian Army returns 'stranded' PLA soldier to China; Chinese media responds positively

A Chinese People's Liberation Army soldier, who was apprehended by the Indian Army after he strayed across the Line of Actual Control on Monday, was returned to China by the Indian Army on Wednesday early morning in Chunshul-Moldo, sources said. Mouthpiece media of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Global Times has confirmed the development.

"The Indian army's decision to return the Chinese soldier is viewed as a positive sign ahead of the eighth round of China-India commander-level talks this week," the mouthpiece said.

'China hopes that India will...'

According to the Indian Army, the soldier identified as Corporal Wang Ya Long had strayed across the LAC in Demchok. He would be returned after the completion of formalities, the Army had stated. The incident came amid a massive deployment of troops by the two militaries in the region following the border standoff since May. China on Tuesday expressed hope that its missing soldier apprehended by the Indian Army in eastern Ladakh will be released soon.

"China hopes that India will hand over soon the Chinese soldier who got lost in China-India border areas on the evening of October 18 when helping local herdsmen retrieve a yak at their request," said Senior Colonel Zhang Shuili, spokesperson for the Western Theater Command of the PLA said in a statement on Monday night.

"The PLA border troops informed the Indian military right after the incident and hoped the Indian side would aid in search and rescue, and the Indian side promised to offer help and return the missing soldier timely after finding him, he said. The latest information from the Indian side is that the lost Chinese soldier has been found and will be handed over to the Chinese side after receiving medical examination, Col. Zhang said.

"We hope that the Indian side will live up to its promise to hand over the missing Chinese soldier as soon as possible and implement the consensus reached by the two sides in the 7th round of Senior Commanders meeting, so as to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas," Zhang said.

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Chinese soldier interrogated by Army: Sources

The Indian Army provided the Chinese solider with medical assistance including oxygen, food and warm clothes to protect him from the vagaries of extreme altitude and harsh climatic conditions. According to PTI sources, the PLA soldier was kept at an Army formation and was interrogated on how he crossed over to the Indian side. Both Indian and Chinese armies have deployed over 50,000 troops each along the LAC in eastern Ladakh including in the Demchok sector following the escalation of the five-month-long military standoff that began in early May.

The seventh round of talks was held on October 12. There was no breakthrough on the disengagement of troops from the friction points so far. India has all along been maintaining that the onus is on China to carry forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation at the friction points in the mountainous region.

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(With PTI inputs)