‘Area under illegal occupation for 60 years’: India on Chinese bridge over Pangong Lake
The bridge over the narrow section of Pangong lake is reported to be almost complete and is expected to enhance the road connectivity for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The central government on Thursday said it is closely monitoring the construction of a new bridge by China over Pangong Lake and is taking necessary steps to ensure that India’s security interests are protected. The spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs told a regular press briefing that the bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years.
HT earlier reported on the emergence of satellite images showing the construction of a new bridge by the Chinese side linking the north and south banks of Pangong Lake. The bridge over the narrow section of the 134 km lake is reported to be almost complete and is expected to enhance the road connectivity for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
“Government of India monitoring this closely. This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years. The government is taking steps to ensure our security interests are protected,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
The ministry also dismissed the reports of Chinese soldiers hoisting its national flag in Galwan Valley as “factually incorrect”. Chinese state media earlier posted videos of PLA soldiers hoisting their national flag at an unknown location, claiming it was Galwan Valley.
“Media houses in India have released pictures contradicting the claim,” Bagchi said.
The ministry also flagged the tone and tenor of a letter by the Chinese embassy to Indian lawmakers over their participation in an event hosted by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile. The Chinese embassy had asked some of the members of the All-Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet to refrain from providing support to Tibetan forces.
“The substance, tone and tenor of the letter are inappropriate. The Chinese side should note that India is a vibrant democracy and Indian MPs as representatives of people undertake activities as per their beliefs,” Bagchi said.
“We expect the Chinese side to refrain from hyping the normal activities by Indian MPs and complicate further the situation in our bilateral relations,” he added.
