Sikkim stand-off: War not an option, says Sushma; China hopes for India’s ‘good deed’

China today said India should show through deeds its willingness to maintain peace at the border and claimed that 48 Indian soldiers were at Doklam area backed by a “large number” of troops at the border to halt Chinese attempts to build a road on its side of the boundary.

In a statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the action of the Indian side amounts to that of “irresponsibility and recklessness.”

He said that until yesterday, “there were 48 Indian soldiers and one bulldozer” in Doklam area, describing it as illegal intrusion into Chinese territory.

India, however, says that the area belongs to Bhutan.

“In addition, there are still a large number of Indian armed forces congregating on the boundary and on the Indian side of the boundary,” Geng said.

“No matter how many Indian border troops illegally trespassed the boundary and still stay in the Chinese territory, it will not alter the nature of severely violating China’s territorial integrity and contravening the UN Charter.

This incident is illegal under the international law. The Indian side should bear corresponding responsibilities,” the spokesman said.

The Foreign Ministry had issued a 15-page fact sheet yesterday with maps and other details about the standoff since it began on …read more