Situation ‘stable’ on India border: China

China said the situation was “stable” Tuesday on its border with India, after New Delhi reported a fresh stand-off between the two countries’ militaries on their disputed Himalayan frontier last week.

The incident is thought to be the most serious on the nuclear-armed Asian giants’ disputed frontier since 2020 when 20 Indian troops and four Chinese soldiers died in brawling.

An Indian source said the 9 December incident, which followed recent joint US-India military exercises near the border, led to “minor injuries to (a) few personnel from both sides”.

Chinese soldiers came close to the area near the Line of Actual Control -- the de facto border -- where it had been agreed that neither side would patrol, the sources added.

But foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin did not comment on the alleged clash Tuesday, telling reporters “as far as we understand, the China-India border situation is stable overall.”

“Both sides have throughout maintained unobstructed dialogue on the border issue through diplomatic and military channels, it is hoped that the Indian side will advance in the same direction as China,” he added.

Beijing urged New Delhi to “earnestly implement the important consensus reached by both leaders, strictly abide by the spirit of the agreements and accords signed by both sides, together uphold the peace and tranquillity of the China-India border region.”

Indian media reports quoted unnamed sources as saying that the incident involved around 300 members of China’s People’s Liberation Army, and that China suffered a greater number of injuries -- claims Beijing has not commented on.

A request for comment to China’s Ministry of National Defence by AFP went unanswered Tuesday.

Relations have been at rock bottom between the two countries since clashes in 2020.