Face-saving exit or end to illegal crossing? Chinese and Indian media spin border withdrawal

In China, Indian troops withdrew from Chinese territory. In India, New Delhi gave Beijing a face-saving way out of a protracted border row.

Soldiers from both sides may have pulled back from the contested zone on the Doklam plateau in the Himalayas but the media in each country claimed the withdrawal as a win for their side.

The row at the frontier of China, India and Bhutan ended on Monday after both sides agreed to an “expeditious disengagement” of their troops from the border. Beijing had accused India of crossing over into Chinese territory, while New Delhi charged Chinese troops with violating the status quo with road building in the area.

Chinese state media framed the end of the stand-off as India withdrawing from “Chinese territory”.

In an editorial on Tuesday, state news agency Xinhuasaid India had made the “correct choice” to comply with international law by pulling its troops out of what was “undisputed Chinese territory with a clear history and legal basis”.

“It is expected that India will continue its correct attitude and meet China halfway to put China-India ties on a healthy track,” the editorial said.