BEIJING: The Chinese military suffered casualties in a border clash with Indian soldiers, the editor-in-chief of China’s Global Times newspaper said on Tuesday.

“Based on what I know, the Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash,” Hu Xijin said in a tweet. He did not give further details.

The Global Times is published by the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of China’s ruling Communist Party.

A colonel-rank officer and two army personnel of the Indian Army were killed in a face-off with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley area of Ladakh on Monday night.

The colonel killed was commanding an infantry battalion of the Army in the area. The face-off occurred during efforts to de-escalate the tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

The two sides have been in a standoff for weeks at Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh.

India has pushed for improving connectivity and it has decided to have some 66 key roads along the Chinese border by 2022.

One of these roads has been near the Galwan Valley which connects to India’s Daulat Beg Oldi air base — inaugurated last October.

The road has been considered important as it runs parallel to the LAC linking various points with the major supply bases inland.