New Delhi, September 23: A video showing PLA soldiers soldiers crying over alleged deployment at Ladakh border has triggered a war of words between the Chinese and Taiwanese media. The latter, through articles published in the liberal Taiwan News and Liberty Times, mocked the People's Liberation Army by suggesting that they are afraid of a possible clash with their Indian counterparts. India, China Agree to 'Stop Sending More Troops on Frontline' Amid LAC Row, Says Joint Statement After Military Talks.

The clip first surfaced on social media after it was shared by Pakistan's influential Twitter user Zaid Hamid. Although Hamid captioned the video saying "We Pakistani support you China. Stay Brave", the tenor of his social media post suggested that he was also apparently mocking the soldiers.

Watch Video of PLA Soldiers 'Crying' on Way to Border

According to Taiwan News, the soldiers who appeared sobbing in the video are college pass-outs who volunteered to serve in Tibet, which borders Ladakh where tensions have escalated between India and China.

The clip was shot at the Fuyang Railway Station as they prepared to head to a military camp in Hebei Province, the media outlet said, adding that all of the recruits belonged to Yingzhou District in China's Anhui Province.

The Taiwanese media also reproduced the tweet of a Chinese netizen who goes by the handle of @waynescene on Twitter. The user had shared the video of sobbing soldiers and posted the following caption in Mandarin: "They were told that they would be going to the front lines after they got on the bus. The cannon fodder are crying!"

Reacting to the reports in the Taiwanese media, Global Times - the mouthpiece of China's ruling Communist Party - said the soldiers were not crying due to fear. They turned emotional while singing a famous Chinese military song, it clarified.

"At that time, they were bidding farewell to their parents and sang the famous military song ‘Green Flowers in the Army’, and they sang ‘Go home when you celebrate your work’, completely contrary to the mood created by Taiwanese media,” the nationalist tabloid reported on Tuesday.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 23, 2020 04:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).