India-China standoff: Situation de-escalating at LAC; China will never engage in expansionism: Chinese envoy

Chinese envoy to India Sun Weidong said today that troops along the Line of Actual Control(LAC) have disengaged at my places and the situation is "de-escalating and the temperature is coming down".

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Indian and Chinese troops have been taking part in the disengagement process over the past one month after the clash at Galwan Valley led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers, although the PLA had suffered casualties as well but China's foreign ministry has refused to divulge details.

The Chinese envoy said China is not a strategic threat to India while adding that "China, India need peace rather than confrontation and win-win cooperation rather than zero-sum game."

"Ties should move forward not backward," the envoy asserted.

Sun Weidong stated that India and China have always pursued good neighbourly relations and said that "China will never seek hegemony".

"Galwan was an unfortunate incident and after that both sides held talks," he added. The envoy said that China and India have "never stopped moving forward" and properly handle differences through consultations.

"Dragon and elephant tango will serve lasting peace in Asia and the world at large," Weidong said, adding,"China and India are each other's opportunities."

"China has never claimed territory, the label of expansionist can't be put on China," he said.

"China will never engage in expansionism, right and wrong of Galwan is known. The legitimate right of every country is to safeguard its territorial integrity. China has never been aggressive."