In a show of aggression, China's Foreign Ministry accused India of crossing the border
Five Chinese soldiers were killed and 11 injured in clashes with India at the Galwan Valley in Ladakh, tweeted a senior reporter for The Global Times, a mouthpiece of the administration in Beijing. A tweet by the newspaper then stressed that it had not in fact reported on how many casualties China has incurred on any of its official accounts.
The editor-in-chief of the Global Times then tweeted, "Chinese sides also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash. I want to tell the Indian side, don't be arrogant and misread China's restraint as being weak"
India confirmed that 20 soldiers were killed in "a violent face off" at night with Chinese troops. Army sources said there was no shootout and that stones and batons were used. The army revised its initial statement to stress that there were casualties on both sides but did not offer details.
In a show of aggression, China's Foreign Ministry accused India of crossing the border and warned it against "unilateral action".
Talks are on at the location of the clashes in the Western Himalayas between Major Generals of both sides, the army said.
"During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place yesterday night with casualties on both sides," the army said. "The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers."
This is the first time in four decades that clashes between Indian and Chinese troops have resulted in deaths.
Tension has been simmering in Ladakh for weeks with reports of Chinese aggression at the strategically vital Pangong Lake but several rounds of talks between military and diplomatic officials on both sides had led to troops being pulled back, it was reported.