Demchok area in Ladakh region to stop the work of a canal

BEIJING: China on Friday said actions should not be taken by either side that may "unilaterally change" the status quo of the Line of Actual Control LAC ) as it refuted reports that its troops crossed over to the Indian side in"I can tell you that the Chinese border troops have been operating on the Chinese side of the LAC. Although the China-India boundary is yet to be delimited the two countries have reached many consensus and agreements on safeguarding peace and stability of the border area," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here.It was reported that Chinese and Indian troops are locked in a stand-off at the icy heights of Ladakh division since Wednesday after People's Liberation Army (PLA) personnel entered an area where an irrigation canal was being built under the MNREGA scheme and stopped the civilian work."This issue is once again published by the Indian media outlets," Hua said while replying to a question over the stand off between Indian and China troops in Demchok Apparently referring to the canal work, Hua said, "either side shall not take action that may unilaterally change the statues quo of LAC."Referring to the talks between both the sides to resolve the issue, she said, "currently the two countries have an effective communication through series of mechanisms. We believe that we can maintain peace and tranquility of the border area".Around 55 Chinese troops arrived at the scene in Demchok sector, located 250km east of Leh, and halted the work in an aggressive manner, prompting the army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel to rush to the spot and stop the high-handedness of Chinese troops at the site where the work for linking a village with 'Hot spring' was being undertaken.The fresh tensions in Demchok also come in the wake of the Indian government's decision to allow the Dalai Lama to travel to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh despite China's strong reservations about the Buddhist leader. Tawang is also the site of a monastery that is of special significance to Tibetan Buddhists while China claims all of Arunachal as "South Tibet".The area had witnessed a similar incident in 2014 over a small irrigation canal at Nilung Nalla under the MNREGA scheme that had been a sore point with the Chinese. There was a prolonged incursion by a Chinese platoon in April, 2013 as well that led to India and China agreeing on a protocol to improve communications between border troops. The PLA had mobilized villagers from Tashigong to pitch tents at Charding-Ninglung Nallah track junction to protest Indian action.The Line of Actual Control stretches up to 3,488-km long.While China says the border dispute covers Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as Southern Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covered Aksai Chin area which was occupied by China during the 1962 war.