‘Ready to strike a heavy blow’: Chinese state media warmongers amid India-China LAC tensions

The two countries had last week reached a five-point consensus to resolve the border standoff.

New Delhi: The situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)  in Ladakh continues to remain tense with troops of both countries locked up in standoffs at several points along the de-facto border.

The two countries had last week reached a five-point consensus to resolve the border standoff. The consensus was reached in a meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Moscow, on the sidelines of the SCO meeting.

The two sides agreed to "quickly disengage" troops, avoid action that could lead to escalation in tensions, undertake measures to restore "peace and tranquillity" along the LAC.

However, within days of India and China reaching the crucial consensus post which there has been no reported untoward incident in eastern Ladakh, a warning has come, via Beijing's state-run media.

Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the state-run Global Times, tweeted on Monday warning that the People's Liberation Army of China was "ready to strike a heavy blow to Indian troops". Along with the tweeted, Hu also tagged a video of PLA troops taking part in a military exercise.

"PLA is training attacking tanks in Tibet region. Yes, it targets China-India border situation. China hopes the five-point consensus reached between the two foreign ministers can be implemented, but is ready to strike a heavy blow to Indian troops if they refuse to implement it," Hu said in a provocative tweet, not in line with the sentiment being expressed otherwise to seeking peace and tranquility.

The statement from Hu is important as he editorially heads a daily which is nothing but the mouthpiece of the government in Beijing.

The tweet has come even as Indian government sources expressed the confidence that the five-point agreement will guide the path the current border situation takes over the next few weeks.

"The two foreign ministers agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side. They agreed therefore that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions," a joint press statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs post the crucial talks last week had stated.