An Indian boxer who beat a Chinese rival has offered to return the championship belt he won as peace gesture, amid a tense border stand-off.
Vijender Singh, an Olympic medallist, beat Zulpikar Maimaitiali on Saturday, winning the WBO Oriental Super Middleweight belt from him.
But he dedicated his win to the "India-China friendship", and said he wanted to give the belt back.
India and China have been feuding over a disputed border area since June.
The row erupted when India opposed China`s attempt to extend a border road through a plateau known as Doklam in India and Donglang in China.
Mr Singh, 31, has been widely praised in India for his win in the much-anticipated fight in Mumbai.
But some appear not to share his message of reconciliation.
"Chinese met a grand defeat in Mumbai and same will happen in Doklam," a yoga guru and businessman called Baba Ramdev tweeted.
Why is the India-China border stand-off escalating?
It is unclear if the Chinese competitor has responded to the offer, or if competition officials would allow the belt to be returned.
The disputed plateau lies at a junction between China, the north-eastern Indian state of Sikkim and Bhutan.
It is currently disputed between China and Bhutan. India supports Bhutan`s claim over it.
India is concerned that if the road is completed, it will give China greater access to India`s strategically vulnerable "chicken`s neck", a 20km (12-mile) wide corridor that links the seven north-eastern states to the Indian mainland.
On Thursday China`s defence ministry warned India that it would not back down.
0 comments:
Post a Comment