Beijing: China on Wednesday said it was not aware of a skirmish between its troops and Indian soldiers in the Ladakh region.
Beijing's reaction came after reports on Wednesday claimed that Indian and Chinese soldiers were involved in an altercation near Pangong Lake in Ladakh, exacerbating tensions during a months-long stand-off between the two armies.
When asked to comment on the reported incident, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hu Chunying said, "I am not aware of the information."
"I am not aware of them. The Chinese border troops are always committed to maintaining peace and tranquility along the border," Chunying said at a briefing.
Earlier today, reports stated that Indian border guards foiled an attempt by Chinese soldiers to enter Indian territory.
Reports said that some of the Chinese soldiers carried iron rods and stones, and in the melee there were minor injuries on both sides, a source told Reuters.
While speaking to news agency AFP, an Indian defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity said, “There was a minor incident. There was some stone pelting from the Chinese side but the situation was quickly brought under control."
Police in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, where Ladakh is located, said clashes were relatively common along the de facto border known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
"These things happen every summer but this one was slightly prolonged and more serious but no weapons were used," a police source in Srinagar told AFP.