China has dismissed as “groundless” the reports that 5,000 People's Liberation Army soldiers were posted in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, saying that even ants of that number can be detected easily.

“5,000 people are lot, even ants of that number can be detected easily,” said Huang Xilian, deputy director general of the Asian Affairs Department of the Chinese foreign ministry.

Noting that with modern technology and satellites no troops could remain undetected anywhere, he said such reports about presence of Chinese People’s Liberation Army soldiers in PoK are “groundless”.

Huang, the Chinese foreign ministry’s point man for India, was replying to questions about reports on the presence of some 5,000 PLA troops in PoK.

He, however, defended the Chinese projects in the area as commercial and livelihood projects which were being carried on for a long time.

On allegations of incursions by Chinese troops in India, he said that the two sides should make use of existing mechanism to deal with the issue.