China Denies Troops Massing

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30094, 30 March 1963, Page 11

China Denies Troops Massing

tN Z.PA.-Reuter— Copyright) PEKING, March 29. China today vigorously denied Indian allegations that Chinese troops were concentrating in Tibet. It countercharged that India itself was massing troops and “attempting to provoke new conflicts” along the disputed border.

The Chinese claim came in a stronglyworded article by the authoritative “Observer” in the Communist Party newspaper, the “People’s Daily.” This was the first direct Chinese comment on recent Indian allegations of new Chinese troop concentrations The article said the Indian charges were "nothing but a deliberate attempt to deceive world opinion and obviously prompted by monstrously evil designs and ulterior motives.” It gave three reasons why the Indian Government should make "deliberately false accusations" and circulate "fabrications and slanders.” “Observer” said the reasons were "camouflage for the Indian Government's own military actions along the border,” to obtain more United States military and economic aid. and to maintain “the war hysteria” and state of emergency in India. He said that India was trying to provoke new fighting along the border and disrupt the easier situation resulting from the Chinese cease-fire and withdrawal. "Observer" concluded: “You had better remember the lesson you have learned if you do not want to repeat your mistake.”

Foreign observers in Peking said this was an obvious reference to Indian defeats in the border fighting last autumn. The article appeared on an inside page in the “People's Daily" while all Peking newspapers carried on their front pages a long item on similar lines by a correspondent of the official New China News Agency. The newspaper also had on its front page the latest Chinese Note. protesting strongly to the Indian Government against its alleged "use of the Tibetan rebel clique to interfere in China's internal affairs."