Chinese mouthpiece attacks India ahead of border talks, questions Indo-US relations

Even as India and China are holding Corps Commander-level talks on Saturday at Moldo to end the standoff along the LAC, Chinese mouthpiece has written a scathing piece on the border dispute. In the editorial, the Chinese mouthpiece has claimed that India has formed an 'illusion of strategic superiority toward China'. It suggests that India should not be 'fooled by the US' as Washington is only trying to serve its own strategic interest to maintain pressure on China, and not 'other countries geopolitical interests'.

It went on to declare that China will not give up 'any inch of territory'. It warns that if India misjudges and 'nibbles away at China's territory,' then China will take strong countermeasures. "We believe India knows very well that China will not be at a disadvantage in any China-India military operations along the border area," it says. As per reports, the editorial was published on Friday in the Chinese government mouthpiece.

READ | Amid border tensions, Indian & Chinese brigade commanders hold high-level meet in Ladakh

India-China Corps Commander-level talks

At the time of publishing the article, India and China are holding Corps Commander-level talks. Sources said that Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, the Commander of 14 Corps is holding talks with Major General Liu Lin, who is the commander of South Xinjiang Military Region of China's People's Liberation Army. Ten other officers from both sides are also present. 

As per sources, both nations have tabled specific proposals to end the standoff and a number of skirmishes that have taken place between the army of both the nations along the LAC in the past few days. This crucial meeting comes after a breakthrough has not been achieved despite nearly 10 rounds of talks between the two sides.

Meanwhile, three days before the talks, China appointed Lieutenant General Xu Qiling as the new commander for its Western Theatre Command Ground Force. The Western Theatre Command is a unit of the Chinese military that is responsible for guarding the 3488 km long Line of Actual Control with India.

READ | Top diplomats from India & China hold virtual meet, stress on peaceful & stable relations

MEA Joint Secretary meeting with Wu Jianghao

On Friday, MEA Joint Secretary (East Asia) Naveen Srivastava held a virtual meeting with Wu Jianghao, Director General of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong also joined the video conference. The two sides exchanged views on the bilateral relations including current developments. Recalling the consensus reached by PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, they stressed that peaceful and balanced relations between India and China would be a positive factor for stability in the global situation.

READ | Top-level Indo-China talks to be held on June 6 in Moldo, meeting venue accessed

India-China standoff

Chinese military helicopters were spotted close to the border between India and China in eastern Ladakh after a clash between soldiers from both sides took place on two occasions. Thereafter, a fleet of Su-30 fighters of the Indian Air Force carried out sorties in the area. According to reports, Indian and Chinese Army personnel clashed along the northern bank of the Pangong Lake in Ladakh on May 5. Four days later, a face-off between the two sides was witnessed near Naku La Pass in Sikkim. Speaking with Republic TV, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the Centre would not let India's self-respect come down. He added that diplomatic talks with China were going on. 

READ | China urges citizens to shun Australia as dispute simmers