Germany says recent border clashes between Chinese, Indian troops ‘worrying’

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Friday said that the recent reports of border clashes between Chinese and Indian troops are "worrying."

"Such provocations must be avoided. Disputed issues must be resolved amicably by both parties in bilateral talks," Christofer Burger, a German Foreign Ministry spokesman, said at a weekly press conference in Berlin.

However, Burger welcomed Chinese and Indian diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the border conflict.

"It is positive that contacts were made immediately on both sides, which prevented the situation from escalating further," he said.

Chinese and Indian troops have clashed in a disputed Himalayan border region for the first time in more than two years, with reports of dozens injured.

At least 20 Indian soldiers were injured in the skirmishes on Dec. 9 in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian army said on Tuesday.

The border clash was the most serious since June 2020, when at least 24 soldiers died in violent clashes, and came in the wake of months of major acts of disengagement by both militaries in the long-running dispute.

Indian military commanders had reportedly met their Chinese counterparts on Dec. 11 to ask the Chinese side to uphold peace.

According to an Indian army statement, both sides “immediately disengaged from the area” after the military face-off.