Indian security forces have finally been able to manage the Chinese government to remove 4 tents pitched in the transgression region which occurred only a month back. Only one tent and some Chinese personnel remain and efforts were on to remove them too. The Chinese soldiers reportedly posed as cattle grazers pitched five tents before leaving the Cherdung Nullah grazing grounds, which is located on the southeastern part of the Tso Moriri Lake.
“They entered our territory and pitched five tents. Although their numbers could not be ascertained, only a few remain and one tent left,” officials privy to the matter said.
The Indian security forces were involved in a stand-off with the Chinese for two weeks, and after a meeting between senior officials of the two sides, the Chinese “mostly withdrew” said several sources.
“The PLA removed three of the tents only after India pushed for talks between the rival Brigade commanders,” spoke an army official. Currently, the Indo-Tibetan border police and the army patrol is guarding the area.
The transgression took place in the Cherdong-Nillong Nallan area of Demchok on July 16, when several Chinese moved inside 200-300 m into Indian territory in the disputed area. Demchok has witnessed several such incidents in the past. Around the visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India in September 2014, Chinese villagers had set up tents in Demchok to protest the construction of a 100 feet long water channel.
It is also one of the 23 most disputed areas along the LAC, which stretches from eastern Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh, along with Chumar, Pangong Tso, and Dumchele, to name a few. The two sides often have disputes over the unresolved areas along the boundary, due to ‘differing perceptions.’
This development comes about a year after Indian and Chinese troops were locked in a 74-day-long standoff in the Doklam plateau near the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction. Since the standoff ended, both countries have maintained talks to improve bilateral ties.