The rising tension between China and India began to calm down after Beijing decided to pull its troops back from a region where a deadly border clash occurred. The move, however, was conducted as the Chinese government laid claim to an area near Bhutan.
Falling back
According to the Wall Street Journal, both countries started to have their troops retreat from some parts of disputed regions along the Himalayan border.
Security officials from India announced the news on Monday along with discussions between both nations' senior diplomats and military commanders in an attempt to alleviate pressure on both China and India.
Movements of the military personnel took place two days after an Indian news outlet reported a rising conflict between Beijing and Bhutan, which the Bhutanese government considered a territorial claim of China over a wildlife sanctuary.
On Sunday, Ajit Doval, the Indian national security adviser, spoke with Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister and had a "frank and in-depth exchange of views" by telephone before the troops' retreat.
The two representatives agreed to take steps to de-escalate tensions between the two countries along the borders as quickly as possible and continue communications between the two nations' diplomatic and military officials.
Also Read: China-India Tensions Rise Amid Brutal Border Clashes, Death of Several Troops
The location that China pulled back from was the site where 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in brutal unarmed encounters with Chinese troops. The battle lasted for hours on June 15, where some immediately lost their lives, and some succumbed to their injuries and fell to the freezing waters of the Galwan river, as reported by the New York Post.
The deaths of the Indian troops have been the highest number of casualties the middle eastern nation has experienced in the last 50 years. The incident also led to weeks of continuous discussions between the two countries in trying to calm the situation down.
De-escalation efforts
Chinese military troops were seen on Monday dismantling tents and structures at the region where the deadly clash occurred, say the reports of the Indian government. They also stated that vehicles could be seen fleeing the area along with two other disputed zones; Hot Springs Area and Gogra.
Zhao Lijian, China's foreign ministry spokesman, announced that both countries had taken measures to ensure the de-escalation of tensions between the two nations along the border that has been contested for years.
According to Aljazeera, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday made a surprise visit to the northern part of the Himalayan region of Ladakh where he announced the end of the age of expansionism.
The Indian government claims an area of land spanning 38,000 sq. Km that is currently controlled by China. Beijing, on the other hand, is claiming rights to a 90,000 sq. Km area that sits inside Indian territory.
The Center for South Asian Studies' Deputy Director, Lin Minwang, stated the most crucial factor now is the de-escalation of both parties involved.
