Camaraderie at home, but Modi points out China's border aggression to Xi Jinping
New Delhi: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping proceeded with their summit talks at the Hyderabad House, scores of Tibetan activists protested outside. They were dragged and detained by the police.
Meanwhile, in Ladakh, about 1,000 soldiers each from India and China are locked in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation at the border, the worst Chinese transgression in years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised the issue of incursions into Ladakh with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday night during their meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said on Thursday.
Read: Chinese Army pushes in more troops into Chumar as New Delhi welcome President Xi Jinping
The foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told AFP the issue was discussed on Wednesday evening during Xi's rare visit to India amid reports of a stand-off involving hundreds of troops from both sides in the remote Himalayan Ladakh region.
The incursion threatens to overshadow Xi's three-day visit, which includes more formal talks with Modi in New Delhi on Thursday that had been expected to focus on forging stronger investment and strategic ties.
When leaders of important countries meet at summit level these are occasions to discuss issues of substance: Syed Akbaruddin, MEA
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 18, 2014Yesterday these issues have already been raised at the highest level: Syed Akbaruddin (MEA) on talks of Chinese incursions with Chinese Prez
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 18, 2014All issues of substance will be raised today including recent issues, will tell you the outcome once those discussions are done: MEA
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 18, 2014We work to pursue areas of co-operation between India & China: Syed Akbaruddin, MEA pic.twitter.com/YyvKSc6gCI
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 18, 2014Just hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in India, reports of fresh transgressions by Chinese troops from the Chumar area of Ladakh in addition to the continuing face-off between troops of India and China at a site in Chumar have been reported.
This is the worst Chinese transgression in years.
Read: People’s Liberation Army intrudes in Ladakh
News agency reports from Leh said that as many as 100 additional soldiers of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) arrived from a hillock of the Chumar area and strengthened the numbers of Chinese troops at theface-off site to nearly 350, even as sources in New Delhi confirmed that the armies of India and China held a flag meeting that lasted a few hours in the evening to discuss the situation in Chumar sector of Ladakh.
According to the reports, Chinese troops refused to return even as a flag-meeting between the two sides is believed to have made no headway in breaking the deadlock.
Read: Border rows, railways likely topics of India-China talks as PM Modi welcomes Xi Jinping
Tibetans protest outside Hyderabad House
Scores of Tibetans staged a vociferous protest and clashed with police outside Hyderabad House, the venue for the bilateral talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The protesters reached Gate No 3 of the building around 11:45 am and started shouting anti-China slogans. The police tried to pacify them but they did not relent and eventually clashed with the police as they were stopped from approaching the gate. Some of the protesters were also detained by the police.
A group of Tibetans also held protest at Dhaula Kuan and were forcefully removed from the spot.
On Wednesday, ten Tibetans were detained after they staged a protest outside Chinese Embassy here against the visit of the Chinese President.
