China acknowledges casualties during Galwan Valley clash

New Delhi : For the first time, China has acknowledged that their soldiers were killed during a fierce border clash at Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh.

The four soldiers were honoured by the Chinese leadership, said a report in PLA Daily.

Those killed included Qi Fabao, the regimental commander from the PLA Xinjiang Military Command, Chen Hongjun, Chen Xiangrong, Xiao Siyuan and Wang Zhuoran, the state-run Global Times quoted PLA Daily as saying.

However, India had announced the loss of 20 soldiers, names of 15 of them have been honoured with their names on the memorials.

The clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers erupted at Galwan valley when Chinese soldiers tried to stop Indian soldiers from patrolling the area under India’s jurisdiction.

The Chinese soldiers were armed with medieval-style weapons like spiked maces. The two sides did not fire upon each other.

Colonel Santosh Babu, the Commanding Officer of 16 Bihar, who was killed in action, was honoured with the Maha Vir Chakra, the second highest war time gallantry award.

Currently, India and China have de-escalated from the Ladakh region.