The quick disengagement of Indian and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector after clashes at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was welcomed by Washington.
Earlier, the Russian foreign ministry expressed hopes that further escalation between the two neighbors would be avoided.
“We encourage India and China to make use of existing bilateral channels to discuss disputed boundaries,” the White House press secretary said, and US State Department spokesman Ned Price noted that Washington opposes “unilateral attempts” to advance territorial claims through military or civilian incursions across the LAC.
“We fully support India's ongoing efforts to deescalate this situation,” the Pentagon's Press Secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder added.
The remarks by American officials came after India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh told the Parliament on Tuesday that the PLA troops “tried to penetrate” the LAC in the Yangtse area of the Tawang sector on 9 December.
Singh said that the Chinese attempt to alter the LAC was contested by Indian troops, who “bravely prevented” the PLA from “penetratrating our territory”.
The Defense Minister noted that the scuffle between the Indian and Chinese troops led to injuries to personnel on both the sides.
A ‘flag meeting’ was held between the two sides on 11 December to discuss the matter in accordance with established mechanisms; the issue was also taken up through diplomatic channels.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry described the situation at the Sino-India border areas as being “generally stable”.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a news briefing on Tuesday that New Delhi and Beijing have maintained a “smooth communication” to resolve the boundary-related issued through diplomatic and military channels.
PLA’s Western Theatre Command, on the other hand, accused the Indian troops of “illegally” crossing the border in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector which led to clashes between the armies.
“Our response measures were professional, standard and forceful, and stabilized the situation on the ground… At present, China and India have disengaged,” Long Shaohua, the PLA spokesman, said.