China admits 4 killed in Galwan clash

Awards them posthumously; PLA casualties possibly more

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 19

Eight months after the clash in Galwan in eastern Ladakh, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China acknowledged for the first time the gallantry of five of its soldiers. Four of the five were awarded posthumously for acts of “bravery”.

The clash between the PLA and Indian Army occurred on June 15 last year and it is the first time the PLA has publically stated a number — only of the gallantry awardees. And, that does not denote the number of soldiers killed in the fierce face-off.

The award count does not mean that the PLA casualty figure during the Galwan clash was restricted to that number, sources in India said, reacting to the development which was made public this morning by PLA’s official newspaper PLA Daily. “In any operation, gallantry awards are not given to all, but only a few of those involved are decorated. The Indian Army lost 20 soldiers, only six were decorated with gallantry awards,” an official said, adding that the PLA lost anywhere between 35 and 40 soldiers in the operation in June last year.

PLA Daily said on Friday that China’s military authorities had honoured two officers and three soldiers, including four who received the award posthumously.

“Five Chinese frontier officers and soldiers stationed in the Karakoram have been recognised by the Central Military Commission of China (CMC) for their sacrifice in the border confrontation with India, which occurred in the Galwan valley in June 2020,” the Chinese newspaper said. The CMC is headed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China.

The title of “border-defending hero” was conferred on Battalion Commander Chen Hongjun posthumously, while Chen Xiangrong, Xiao Siyuan and Wang Zhuoran received first-class merit. Qi Fabao, who was seriously injured in the skirmish, received the title of “hero regiment commander for defending the border,” the PLA daily said.