Ahead of high-level talks with India, China appoints new Commander for troops guarding LAC

A day ahead of the Corps Commander-level Indo-China talks, China appointed Lieutenant General Xu Qiling as the new commander for its Western Theatre Command Ground Force. The Western Theatre Command is responsible for guarding the 3488 km long Line of Actual Control with India. As per sources, both nations are expected to table specific proposals to end the standoff.

Sources add that Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, the Commander of 14 Corps shall hold talks with Major General Liu Lin, who is the commander of South Xinjiang Military Region of China's People's Liberation Army. A breakthrough has not been achieved despite nearly 10 rounds of talks between the two sides. The aforesaid meeting will take place at Moldo, a designated Border meeting point. 

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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. 

On May 28, the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that the Indian soldiers have taken a responsible approach and are following due protocols. It maintained that the Centre remains firm on maintaining sovereignty and national security. 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. 

MoS PMO slams Congress

Earlier in the day, MoS PMO Dr.Jitendra Singh took a swipe at the Congress party for raising questions about the Centre's handling of the current standoff with China at the LAC. Singh contended that the dispute with China was a result of the mistakes committed by Rahul Gandhi's great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru. He indicated that Nehru's China policy had led to the 1962 war. According to the MoS PMO, India was still paying a price because of this. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi had questioned the Centre's silence on the standoff at the LAC and raised concerns about Chinese incursion into Indian territory. 

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