FILE PHOTO: A Chinese flag is seen in front of the Friendship bridge over the Yalu River connecting the North Korean town of Sinuiju and Dandong in China’s Liaoning Province, April 1, 2017. (Reuters)

In a fresh warning to India on Tuesday, Chinese state media Global Times said that China can go on an “all out” confrontation along the entire around 4000-km Line of Actual Control (LAC) that spreads from Ladakh to Kashmir in North to Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim in the East. Accusing India of provocating China, it said, “If India stirs up conflicts in several spots, it must face the consequence of an all-out confrontation with China along the entire LAC.”

India and Chinese soldiers have been engaged in one of the longest standoff in Doklam, Bhutan which China claims as its own. The standoff started after the Chinese started a road construction in the area which is not only part of Bhutan but also strategically important for the security of India. Chinese soldiers have refused to go back and the country’s media and well as officials have threatened India of dire consequences.

The road is near the trijunction with Bhutan. The Op-ed article in the Global Times claimed that the Indian action to stop Chinese troops from building the road near the Doklam plateau was a “blatant infringement on China’s sovereignty”. India fears the road construction may allow Chinese troops to cut India’s access to its northeastern states. New Delhi has told China that the road construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for India.

Today’s article in the Chinese daily, however, said that China doesn’t “recognize the land under the actual control of India is Indian territory” and the border negotiations are still ongoing. It said China doesn’t “fear going to war” and will make “itself ready for a long term confrontation.”

The article argued that the “important” reason behind the standoff is India’s worry over China’s recent growth.

“India and China both had a history of past colonisation, and now both are enjoying fast economic growth. But China has risen quickly to be the world’s No.2 economy. As time is on China’s side, New Delhi is deeply concerned with China’s rapid rise. Provocation at the border reflects India’s worry and attempt to sound out China,” it said.