New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that the new bridge being built by China at the Pangong Tso region of Eastern Ladakh has been under illegal occupation by the Chinese for around 60 years and the Centre is monitoring Chinese activity closely.
According to reports, China has started construction of a bridge across the Pangong lake. The bridge over the narrow section of the 134 km lake is reported to be almost complete and is expected to enhance road connectivity for Chinese troops in the area.
Addressing the weekly media briefing here in the national capital, MEA spox Arindam Bagchi said, "Government monitoring this activity closely. This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 yrs. As you are well aware that India has never accepted such illegal occupation.”
Bagchi reiterated that the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure the country's security interests are protected. As part of these efforts, the government has also, in the last seven years, increased significantly the budget for the development of border infrastructure and completed more roads and bridges than ever before.
"These have provided much-needed connectivity to the local population as well as logistical support to armed forces. The government remains committed to this objective”, he added.
Meanwhile, reacting to China renaming places in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, the Ministry of External Affairs termed such Chinese activity as a ‘ridiculous exercise’ to support untenable territorial claims.
The MEA spox said, “We had seen reports of the Chinese side naming some places in Arunachal Pradesh last week. We had also conveyed our views on such a ridiculous exercise to support untenable territorial claims”.
“Calling Tuting as “DouDeng” or River Siyom as “XiYueMu” or even Kibithu as “Daba” does not alter the fact that Arunachal Pradesh has always been and will always remain an inalienable part of India. We hope that instead of engaging in such antics, China will work constructively with us to resolve the outstanding friction points in areas along with the Western Sector of the LAC in India-China border areas”, the spokesperson said.
India’s foreign ministry also slammed the reports of Chinese soldiers unfurling its national flag in Galwan valley as ‘factually incorrect’.
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