India-China standoff: Hope India will live up to its promise and hand over missing soldier, says China
Forward base in Ladakh
A day after reports said Indian security forces had apprehended a Chinese soldier in Chumar-Demchok area of Ladakh amid the India-China standoff along the LAC, China said it hoped that India will hand over the solider soon "who got lost in China-India border areas".
"We hope that the Indian side will live up to its promise to hand over the missing Chineses 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 Shuili, spokesperson for the Western Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), said.
The Indian Army had said that PLA soldier identified as Corporal Wang Ya Long was provided medical assistance including oxygen, food and warm clothes.
"A request has also been received from the PLA about the whereabouts of the missing soldier. As per established protocols, he will be returned back to Chinese officials at the Chushul-Moldo meeting point after completion of formalities," the Indian Army had said.
The Indian Army added that he was taken in by Indian forces in eastern Ladakh on October 19 after he strayed across the Line of Actual Control(LAC).
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between India and China along the LAC even as corps commander of both sides meet later this week on the disengagement process in eastern Ladakh.
The two sides have so far held seven rounds of military talks on the border faceoff with the seventh round of talks held on October 12.
Tensions between India and China escalated in June after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in action along the LAC in a clash with PLA soldiers, although the Chinese Army had suffered casualties as well but the Chinese foreign ministry has failed to divulge figures.
Another clash occurred between the two sides occurred on August 29-30 as Indian troops pushed back Chinese incursion along the LAC.