The Chinese military expressed hope that its soldier, who was apprehended by the Indian Army in eastern Ladakh on Monday, will be released soon, reported PTI.

“China hopes that India will hand over soon the Chinese soldier who got lost along the China-India border areas on the evening of October 18 when helping local herdsmen retrieve a yak at their request,” said Senior Colonel Zhang Shuili, spokesperson for the Western Theater Command of the PLA.

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“The PLA border troops informed the Indian military right after the incident and hoped the Indian side would aid in search and rescue, and the Indian side promised to offer help and return the missing soldier timely after finding him,” he said.

The soldier identified as Corporal Wang Ya Long was apprehended in the Demchok sector of eastern Ladakh on October 19 after he had strayed across the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The Indian Army, in a statement, said that the captured soldier,  a Corporal in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), will be returned to the Chinese military at the Chushul-Moldo border point after completion of formalities.

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“We hope that the Indian side will live up to its promise to hand over the missing Chinese soldier as soon as possible and implement the consensus reached by the two sides in the 7th round of Senior Commanders meeting, so as to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas,” Zhang said.

Ever since May, India and China have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks to resolve the standoff but the Chinese have refused to adhere to agreements on restoring status quo.