China rejects Indian charge of military presence in PoK

Beijing: China today dismissed reports about the presence of troops in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) only days after a top Indian commander expressed concern over its military presence in the region. An Indian army commander was quoted as saying that Chinese military presence in the area was "too close for comfort".

Responding to these reports, which received widespread coverage in local media here, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Hong Lei, told a media briefing that "the reports are baseless and ridiculous."

Lt Gen KT Parnaik, chief of the Indian Army's Northern Command, had said: "Chinese presence in Gilgit-Baltistan and the Northern Areas is increasing steadily... There are many people who are concerned about the fact that if there was to be hostility between us and Pakistan , what would be the complicity of Chinese."

"Not only they are in the neighbourhood but the fact that they are actually present and stationed along the LoC," Lt Gen Parnaik said last week at a seminar.

"As part of (China's) 'strings of pearls' policy, Chinese footprints are too close for comfort," Parnaik added.

In New Delhi, ministry of external affairs has sought a report from ministry of defence on the issue.