India-China standoff: China denies reports of troops laying cables at LAC

Amid tensions with India along theLine of Actual Control(LAC), China's foreign ministry on Tuesday denied reports that Chinese troops are laying fibre optic cables at a western Himalayan flashpoint.

In anews briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said ''China and India will remain in communication through diplomatic and military channels''.

Earlier, two Indian officials had said thatChina is laying a network of cables to bolster communications at the line of actual control (LAC).

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According to the officials, the PLA intends to stay on the border for a long time and hence it is trying to strengthen its communication system.

Such cables, which would provide forward troops with secure lines of communication to bases in the rear, have recently been spotted to the south of Pangong Tso lake in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, a senior government official said.

Thousands of Indian and Chinese troops backed by tanks and aircraft are locked in an uneasy stalemate along a 70 km-long front to the south of the lake. Each country has accused the other of escalating the standoff.

Indian Army has gained the upper hand and control of commanding heights in Ladakh close to the Chinese positions.

Despite the LAC continues to escalate despite ameeting between India's external affairs minister S.Jaishankarand Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Moscow.

Tensions have increased between the two neighbouring countriesafter the Galwan incident of June in which India lost 20 of its soldiers.

(With inputs from agencies)