Home India Peace, tranquillity in border areas important for smooth India-China relations: MEA

Peace, tranquillity in border areas important for smooth India-China relations: MEA

Sikkim standoff: China issued the 15-page statement even after the Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval last week travelled to Beijing and held discussions with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi. This comes amidst the continuing stand-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Doklam area.

Responding to the statement issued by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterating its case and asking India to withdraw its soldiers from the Doklam area on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement said, “India considers that peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas is an important prerequisite for smooth development of our bilateral relations with China.” This comes amidst the continuing stand-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Doklam area.

Earlier, China issued a 15-page statement even after the Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval last week travelled to Beijing and held discussions with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi. In its statement, China provided the historical context and its arguments based on the 1890 Agreement between UK and China, and alleged that Indian soldiers “have illegally crossed the China-India boundary in the Sikkim sector and entered the Chinese territory”.

Giving out the details of the standoff, the Chinese statement said, “270 Indian soldiers moved down from Doka La post on June 18 to stop the Chinese from constructing the motorable road in what India believes to be Bhutanese territory. The number of Indian soldiers went up to 400, and three tents were also pitched by them as part of the stand-off. ” “There were still over 40 Indian soldiers and one bulldozer in the area, stopping the Chinese road construction party”, it said. Also Read | China reiterates its case on Doklam, asks Indian soldiers to leave the area | Click here

It asked India to “ immediately withdraw its trespassing border troops to the Indian side of the boundary and conduct a thorough investigation into the trespass”. The statement is also accompanied by a map of the area, two pictures and the text of the 1890 agreement.

Sikkim standoff: The statement claims there were still over 40 Indian soldiers and one bulldozer in the area, stopping the Chinese road construction party.

Sikkim standoff: China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a sketch of the site where China claims Indian troops trespassed.

Statement by China on the border row by The Indian Express on Scribd

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