Opposes Building of 44 Key Bridges

WEB DESK

Reacting over Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurating 44 key bridges built in areas of strategic importance, China on Tuesday said it was strongly opposed to the move and that it did not recognise the Union Territory of Ladakh “illegally” set up by India.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said neither side should take actions that would complicate the situation. The comments came a day after the seventh round of military talks between the two nations.

India and China have been engaged in a bitter stand-off since earlier this year after 20 Indian soldiers died in clashes with the PLA at the Galwan Valley in Ladakh in June.

“China does not recognise the so-called Union Territory of Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh illegally set up by India,” Zhao said, reported the Global Times. “We are opposed to infrastructure construction for the purpose of military surveillance in disputed border areas.”

Zhao said according to the recent consensus reached between the two sides, neither China nor India should take any action in the border areas that would “complicate the dispute” and to “not undermine the efforts made by both nations to de-escalate the situation”.