Chaos if we enter India: China Amid tension, MHA nod to build 32km road in Ladakh
China on Tuesday said there will be “chaos” in the region if it follows India’s “ridiculous” logic and enters India to disrupt construction of projects along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that Beijing perceives as a security threat.
Beijing has blamed New Delhi for Doklam standoff and accused Indian soldiers of trespass and preventing Chinese soldiers from building a road in the region, which is claimed by Bhutan.
“If we tolerate India’s ridiculous logic, then anyone who dislikes the activity at his neighbour’s home can break into his neighbour’s house,” foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a news briefing.
“Does that mean when China thinks that large-scale construction of infrastructure in the border area is posing a threat, it can enter India’s territory? Wouldn’t that be utter chaos?” she asked.
ChinawantsIndiatowithdraw its troops from Doklam before the two sides begin talks. New Delhi says the road, if built, will alter the status quo. The Indian government has also said China’s road construction activity has serious security implications and highlighted the geographic proximity of the proposed road to its vulnerable “chicken's neck”, the narrow stretch of land connecting the mainland to the remote northeastern states.
Chinese state media has accused India of “double standards” since the country is going ahead with many construction projects along the LAC while talking about its security concerns related to Chinese projects.
Hua described the reasons given by India for its actions as “ridiculous” and said the “facts are clear”.
“So the only prerequisite condition for the settlement (of the standoff) is to withdraw the personnel and equipment by the Indian side,” she said.
She said the fact is that the Indian side has trespassed and violated the agreement on the boundary that has been recognised and abided by (for) over 130 years. “We urge the Indian side to take concrete actions and make positive moves to correct its wrongdoing,” she added.
Hua said China loves peace and firmly upholds it.
“At the same time we will safeguard our territorial integrity and sovereignty. We allow no country or any individual to infringe upon China’s territorial sovereignty,” She added.
On Monday, China blamed India for a skirmish between troops of the two sides in Ladakh last week, saying Indian forces triggered the scuffle in which some Chinese soldiers were injured.
The foreign ministry said China has lodged its “serious concerns” over the incident.
Days after Indian and Chinese troops engaged in stone pelting at Ladakh’s Pangong Lake, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has approved the construction of a standalone road project from Marsimik La to Hot Spring. Marsimik La in Ladakh is about 20 km from the northwest tip of Pangong Lake .
Home ministry official said Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has taken over the project after it was cleared by the ministry. Sources said BRO, which comes under the ministry of defence, has started “mobilisation” for the construction of the 32-km road.The project is part of the India-China Border Road-I and was initially proposed by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, which guards the India-China border.
Meanwhile, home minister Rajnath Singh will lead a delegation for a high-level meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Kyrgyzstan between August 23 to 25.