In an investigative report, The Klaxon, an Australian newspaper has claimed that China had suffered a huge loss in the Galwan Valley clash in 2020. China’s losses were much higher than what was reported as many soldiers drowned while crossing a river in the valley, the exclusive finding of the editor, writer Anthony Klan has revealed.
The writer said facts and images of two separate clashes that took place in Galwan were combined to gloss over facts.
The report draws heavily on research conducted by a group of unnamed social media researchers whose sources include Chinese bloggers, information obtained from mainland-based Chinese citizens and media reports that have since been deleted by Chinese authorities.
In February 2021, Beijing announced medals for four of its soldiers who died in the clash, accepting and revealing for the first time the Chinese casualties in the incident. However, it has time and again been conjectured that the Chinese losses were much higher than officially reported.
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The Galwan valley clash
The Galwan Valley clash was the deadliest confrontation between India and China in over four decades. China’s state media has almost entirely failed to cover the skirmish or its aftermath.
The clash took place along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh following a standoff over actions of the Chinese Army.
India had said that 20 of its soldiers had died in the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020 which was fought in hand-to-hand combat in sub-zero temperatures in the near pitch-black night of June 15 and June 16, 2020.
(With inputs from agencies)
