Withdrawal of Chinese troops ?, China's Foreign Ministry gave a roundabout answer

Beijing, June 11, 2020, Thursday

Chinese troops are claimed to have retreated two to two and a half kilometers from the Galvan Valley on the Ladakh border. However, Chinese troops infiltrating the Indian border in the Pyongyang Lake area are still stationed there.

The withdrawal of Chinese troops was questioned by the Chinese Foreign Ministry at a press conference on Wednesday amid ongoing talks between the two countries' military officials.

However, the spokesperson did not give a clear answer and spoke in a roundabout way. A reporter asked the question, "There are reports in the Indian media that Chinese and Indian troops have retreated from three places. Can you support that?" Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. "There has been a very effective dialogue between diplomats and military officials," he said. The two sides have reached an agreement to handle the situation on the western part of the Indo-China border, as part of which all steps are being taken.

The spokesman, however, did not say what kind of action was being taken as part of the settlement.

More interestingly, the Indian government has not yet issued an official statement on the withdrawal of Chinese troops. Defense expert Brahma Chelani, while questioning the claim of withdrawal of Chinese troops, said that China's statement was different from the ongoing claims in the Indian media. Aggressive China only talks of taking steps to handle the situation. There is no evidence that the Chinese army is willing to withdraw from the Indian border.

Congress leader Manish Tewari has also questioned the government on the issue, asking whether Chinese infiltration is being treated as normal.