Amid ongoing military stand-off in Sikkim sector, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said that it is 'deeply concerned' at the recent Chinese actions in Doklam area and asked Beijing to observe restraint.

"Conveyed to China that road construction would represent significant change of status quo with security implications for India," said MEA in a statement.

India also asked all parties concerned to display utmost restraint and respect bilateral understandings. "Important that consensus on border issue between India and China through Special Representatives process is scrupulously respected," MEA said.

A standoff erupted between the two militaries after the Indian Army blocked construction of the road by China in Doklam, a disputed territory between China and Bhutan also known as Donglong.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.

Stating that India has consistently taken a positive approach to the settlement of its own boundary with China, along with the associated issue of the tri-junctions, MEA said, "India cherishes peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas. It has not come easily. India committed to working with China to find peaceful resolution of all issues in border areas through dialogue."

Talking tough, China on Thursday demanded withdrawal of Indian troops from the Sikkim sector as a pre- condition for a "meaningful dialogue" to resolve the current stand-off there and asked the Indian Army to learn from "historical lessons", an oblique reference to the 1962 war.

Launching a media blitzkrieg on the Sikkim stand-off, both Chinese Foreign and Defence ministries directed their attacks on India and maintained that the Indian Army had "illegally trespassed" into the Chinese territory.

"We urge the Indian side to immediately pull back the border troops to the Indian side of the boundary. That is the precondition for any meaningful talks between the two sides aiming at resolving the issue," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

The genesis of the flashpoint was China's attempts to build a road at strategically key area of Donglong, the linking of which to the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction could give China a major military advantage over India.