China has not scaled down troop deployment on Indian border, US says
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In a report to Congress, titled “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2024”, the Pentagon said the People’s Liberation Army “has not drawn down its positions or troop numbers since the 2020 clash” with Indian troops in eastern Ladakh and has developed infrastructure to maintain brigade deployments. open image in gallery A truck carries the coffin of an Indian army officer killed in a 2020 border clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Ladakh The foreign ministry in Beijing denounced the Pentagon report, which briefly mentioned India alongside other countries that have disputes with China, as “irresponsible”. open image in gallery Chinese president Xi Jinping and India prime minister Narendra Modi meet on the sidelines of a Brics summit in Kazan, Russia The US report came just as Indian and Chinese officials met in Beijing to resume formal talks on resolving the border standoff for the first time in five years. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met with Indian national security advisor Ajit Doval on Wednesday and worked out a “six-point consensus” to stabilise bilateral ties, Beijing said in a statement after the meeting.