“Chinese side took pre-meditated action,” Jaishankar tells Chinese FM

New Delhi: Chinese soldiers took “pre-meditated and planned action” that was directly responsible for Monday’s clash at Ladakh’s Galwan Valley, in which 20 Indian soldiers died, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar told his China counterpart Wang Yi in a phone conversation today, the first since the massive escalation in border hostilities. The Foreign Minister underlined that the unprecedented development “will have a serious impact on the bilateral relationship” and China had to reassess its actions and take corrective steps. Both ministers signed off on a note of de-escalating tension, saying “Neither side would take any action to escalate matters and instead, ensure peace and tranquility as per bilateral agreements and protocols.”
At the conclusion of the discussion, it was agreed that the overall situation would be handled in a responsible manner, and both sides would implement the disengagement understanding of 6 June sincerely.Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has urged India to “severely punish those responsible for conflict and control its frontline troops,” reported news agency Reuters — a statement that reflects China’s stance that Indian soldiers crossed into Chinese territory, violating the understanding between the two nations. The conversation took place hours after a Chinese spokesperson said the two sides “will continue to resolve this issue through dialogue and negotiations”. “We of course don’t wish to see more clashes,” the spokesperson said.