Two days after a Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldier named Qi Fabao, who was involved in the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, was made the torchbearer of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics torch relay, the US State Department sided with India in its decision to condemn politicisation of the Olympics.
On being asked about the decision of the Chinese Communist regime to ‘politicise’ the sporting event, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price informed, “When it comes to broader issue of India-China border situation, we continue to support direct dialogue & a peaceful resolution of the border disputes.”
He further added, “We’ve previously voiced our concerns on Beijing’s pattern of ongoing attempts to intimidate its neighbours. We stand with friends, we stand with partners & allies, to advance our shared prosperity, security, & values in the Indo-Pacific.”
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Earlier, Republican US Senator Jim Risch had spoken out against China over the issue. He stated, “It’s shameful that Beijing chose a torchbearer for the Olympics2022 who’s part of the military command that attacked India in 2020 and is implementing genocide against the Uyghurs. The US will continue to support Uyghur freedoms and the sovereignty of India.”
Condemning the politicisation of the Olympics, on February 2, India had announced that no diplomats will attend the ceremony. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said that the Indian envoy will not attend the opening or closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics. He also said that India has taken the issue of the torture of an Arunachal Pradesh boy who was taken in custody by the Chinese side earlier in January.
Atleast 38 Chinese soldiers drowned during the Galwan clash: Report
On June 15, 2020, a clash between Indian and Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in Ladakh had erupted against freezing sub-zero temperatures in the night which escalated border tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbouring nations. While the Indian government acknowledged the casualties suffered and honoured its soldiers, China had been hiding its casualties in the clash since the very beginning.
A sensational report on the 2020 Galwan Valley escalation was recently published by an independent Australian portal, The Klaxon. According to the report, at least 38 Chinese soldiers drowned in the Galwan river between June 15 to 16 while attempting to cross the river in the dark.
It said, ”at least 38 PLA troops were washed away and drowned” on the night of June 15 when the clash happened at the Galwan River”. According to the report, evidence had also emerged that strongly suggested that the Chinese side had intentionally conflated facts and imagery of two separate but similar clashes, which occurred just over a week apart in Galwan.