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India releases Chinese soldier who had strayed across border

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India Releases Chinese Soldier Who Had Strayed Across Border

India releases Chinese soldier who had strayed across border

NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday released the Chinese soldier who was apprehended after he inadvertently crossed over into Indian territory in the Demchok sector of eastern Ladakh on Monday.

The soldier, Corporal Wang Ya Long, an armourer in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), was handed over to China at the Chushul-Moldo border personnel meeting point after completion of all formalities, as per established protocols, said an officer.

The PLA soldier, who had his identity card in his pocket and belongs to Shangxizhen town of central Zhejiang province in China, was disoriented when he was taken into custody by Indian troops in the Demchok sector in the early hours of Monday.

“The soldier was provided medical assistance and underwent some basic questioning…There was no espionage angle,” said the officer. On Tuesday, asking for the soldier’s early release, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson in Beijing said he was helping local herdsmen find their yaks when he went missing in the process.

The release of the soldier comes ahead of the eight round of corps commander-level talks to be held between India and China this week in a bid to defuse the military confrontation in eastern Ladakh, which is already into its sixth month now.

Over 50,000 soldiers each from the two armies, along with tanks, howitzers and other heavy weapon systems, are dug in for the long haul amidst winter fast setting in the high-altitude region.

There has been no tangible breakthrough as yet in resolving the standoff despite several rounds of diplomatic and military talks between the two countries.

In the seventh round of military talks on October 12, the PLA came up with “a fresh set of mutual disengagement proposals” but India has been firm that there should be “complete de-escalation” at the troop face-off sites as well as along the entire LAC in eastern Ladakh.

India had also rejected China’s demand that its troops first vacate the tactical heights they preemptively occupied on the ridge line stretching from Thakung on the south bank of Pangong Tso to Gurung Hill, Spanggur Gap, Magar Hill, Mukhpari, Rezang La and Reqin La (Rechin mountain pass) on August 29-30.

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