China dismisses questions on its casualties in Galwan Valley clash

Arun Joshi
Jammu, June 23

China has summarily dismissed all questions on casualties it suffered in the clash with India in Galwan last week and has maintained that it has no information on the matter.

In contrast, India had given out the number and names of the 20 soldiers it lost, including a Commanding officer, hours after the incident that broke decades-old protocol at LAC.

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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian, at his routine press briefing on Monday, dismissed the question of Chinese casualties, saying, “I have no information to offer.”

Replying to a question on the Chinese casualties in the clashes, he said: “China and India are resolving the issue on the ground through military and diplomatic channels. I have no information to offer.”

This two-sentence long statement reflects the Chinese reluctance to spell out its casualties. It is now more than a week since the incident and China has not acknowledged the number of deaths and injuries of its soldiers. This is line with the country’s tradition of keeping casualties under wraps, fearing public outcry and the damage to the image of the ‘strong leadership’ that claims to lead the country.

The military commander-level talks at Chushul–Moldo led by Indian army’s 14 Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Harinder Singh and Chinese Commander Major General Lin Liu were underway at the time of Lijian’s briefing.

This statement came at a time when reports suggested that 43 Chinese soldiers and a commander died in the clashes.

Hu Xijin, editor of Global Times, a mouthpiece of Chinese Communist Party, had tweeted on June 16: “Based on what I know, the Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash.”

Xijin’s comments were understood as an admission of the casualties on the Chinese side.

Hu, however, added: Chinese side didn’t release the number of PLA casualties in the clash with Indian soldiers. My understanding is the Chinese side doesn’t want people of the two countries to compare the casualties number so to avoid stoking public mood. This is goodwill from Beijing.”