Chinese commander involved in 2020 Galwan Valley clash with Indian troops made Winter Olympics torchbearer

A People’s Liberation Army (PLA) commander involved in the June 2020 Galwan Valley clash with Indian Army troops was on Wednesday made the torchbearer at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Torch Relay, according to Chinese state media. “Qi Fabao, a PLA regiment commander who sustained head injury while fighting bravely in the Galwan Valley border skirmish with India, is a torchbearer during Wed’s Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Torch Relay,” tweeted the Global Times.

Qi Fabao, a PLA regiment commander who sustained head injury while fighting bravely in the #Galwan Valley border skirmish with #India, is a torchbearer during Wed’s #Beijing2022 Winter Olympic Torch Relay. pic.twitter.com/aWtWTDsVKF

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) February 2, 2022

Qi took the flame from Wang Meng, China’s four-time Olympic short track speed skating champion, at Winter Olympic Park, the Global Times reported. Many criticised the move and accused China of provoking India and also politicising the Beijing games. On February 4, the Olympic flame, after being relayed by about 1,200 torchbearers, will light the main cauldron at the National Stadium to mark the beginning of the Games. The three-day Beijing Winter Olympics Torch Relay began on Wednesday even as China tried to move on from the diplomatic boycotts and Covid fears that have dogged the build-up to the Games. The Games will open on Friday in a lavish ceremony to be attended by President Xi Jinping and more than a dozen world leaders, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin, five Central Asian Presidents and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

India-China border tension

The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the India and China erupted in April-May, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas. As many 20  Indian soldiers and around 45 Chinese troops (unofficial toll) were killed. China, however, had officially put the PLA toll at five. The standoff had became one of the fiercest border clashes between the two armies since the 1962 war.

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While multiple rounds of talks have led to de-escalation at a number of border points like Pangong Lake, the standoff continues at some other locations.

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