China says it has agreed with India to de-escalate border situation

[June 17, 2020]    BEIJING (Reuters) - China and India have agreed to de-escalate the situation at their border as soon as possible following a clash between the their troops, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

A satellite image taken over Galwan Valley in Ladakh, India, parts of which are contested with China, June 16, 2020, in this handout obtained from Planet Labs. Picture taken June 16, 2020. Mandatory credit PLANET LABS INC/via REUTERS

Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi told Indian Foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar during a phone call on Wednesday that India should severely punish those responsible for the conflict and control its frontline troops, the Chinese ministry said in a statement.

China and India have blamed each other for the clash on Monday, which killed at least 20 Indian soldiers.

(Reporting by Yew Lun Tian; writing by Se Young Lee; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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