China: Border row must be resolved 'calmly'

India and China ended the 73-day standoff on August 28 last year at Doka La. File pic for representation

Defending its military infrastructure build up in Doka La, China yesterday claimed that the area falls within its sovereignty and said Sino-India differences over the border should be resolved in a "calm way" through the existing mechanisms.

Commenting on Indian envoy to China Gautam Bambawale's interview to state-run Chinese daily The Global Times where he said the status quo should not be changed along the sensitive areas of the 3,488-km border, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that differences can be addressed through existing mechanisms. "I believe that you are blowing it (Doka La standoff) out of proportion. I believe that in the post-Doka La period, India and China need to be talking to each other and conversing with each other much more than in the past," at different levels including at the leadership level, Bambawale had said. India and China ended the 73-day standoff on August 28 last year at Doka La area after the People's Liberation Army (PLA) stopped building a strategic road close to India's narrow Chicken's Neck area connecting the northeastern states.

"The two sides should look at border issues in a calm way and resolve relevant issues through the existing border related mechanisms so that we can create conditions and enabling environment to properly solve our differences," she said. Hua reiterated China's stand that Doka La, which is also claimed by Bhutan, is very much its territory. "I should stress that it (area) falls within China's sovereignty that we conduct facility building in Dong Long (Doka La) area," Hua responded when asked about the satellite images which showed new Chinese military facilities at Doka La.