Despite China being touted as an emerging Economic giant, experts have always found it difficult to trust official Chinese facts and figures. Recent reports indicate that the falsified data problem is not limited to the economic domain, but it has its root in China’s polity. The latest Australian report has pointed out that China lost more men in Galwan valley than it officially reported.
China hugely underreported dead soldiers
The Klaxon, a major Australian news organisation has come up with a thorough investigative report on the 2020 Galwan valley clash between India and China. The published report is titled ‘Galwan Decoded’. It has been prepared by a group of social media researchers under the guidance of writer Anthony Clan.
The investigative piece is a detailed description of what happened before and the aftermath of the Galwan Valley clash. Citing all available evidence in the public domain it clearly states that China hugely underreported its causalities.
China honoured only 4 dead soldiers
China had claimed that only 4 of their soldiers had died in Galwan valley. According to the report, only one (named Wang Zhuran) out of these 4 soldiers drowned in Galwan valley. 3 others were killed by Indian forces. China had claimed that all 4 had died due to drowning.
Moreover, the Klaxon report says that at least 38 Chinese soldiers died in the aftermath of the clash. “At least 38 PLA troops along with Wang were washed away and drowned that night…of which only Wang was declared among the four officially dead soldiers’, said the report.
Chinese Army started the conflict
The report categorically holds the Chinese PLA army responsible for the bloodiest confrontation in recent history. According to the report, Indian soldiers had built a temporary bridge over a stream, which was objected to by the PLA. Later, both parties agreed to create a ‘buffer zone’, which will be abided by both.
Stating the reason for the fight, the report says, “PLA did not adhere to its promise…and instead of dismantling its own infrastructure as agreed upon, secretly dismantled the river crossing bridge constructed by the Indian army”
Chinese were no match for India’s counterpunch
According to the report, PLA soldiers had brought steel pipes, sticks and stones to thrash Indian soldiers. However, Indians were not a push-over and they retorted back with ferocious intensity. After being subject to brutal thrashing, PLA fell on its feet and started to retreat.
Read more: How China’s miscalculation led to the slaughter of PLA soldiers at the hands of Indian Army
In fact, retreating PLA soldiers did not even have time to wear water pants due to which most of them drowned. Describing the drowning, the report states, “The river rose suddenly, and injured comrades kept slipping and (being) washed downstream”
Read more: Xi Jinping used to rule China with an iron fist. Galwan Valley clash has made him lose control
Not the first time China’s lies have been busted
This is not the first time; China’s fake claims about Galwan have been shattered by other sources. In 2021, the Chinese state media network – CGTN has released a propaganda video to commemorate one of the Chinese soldiers killed in the Galwan Valley clash. However, the propaganda fell on its feet when the video also shows Chinese soldiers falling into the fast-flowing Galwan stream.
Read more: A Viral video from China proves that many PLA soldiers were killed in Galwan Valley clash with India
Galwan valley clash is termed as a landmark low in India-China relations. China never accepted its guilt; neither did it commemorate its soldiers. However, India gave its accurate causality number and provided every Indian martyred soldier with state honours. The true mark of a superpower is how it treats those who give their lives for the nation, and China is following its friend Pakistan in this regard.