Talks on Sikkim sector row only after withdrawal of troops, says China

China on Friday said the diplomatic channels with India are “unimpeded” for talks over the stand-off in the Sikkim sector but for any “meaningful dialogue” the Indian troops must withdraw from the Doklam area over which Beijing has “indisputable sovereignty”.

“The diplomatic channels for the communication between Chinese and Indian sides remained unimpeded,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said. He said the Indian troops “trespassed” the recognised delineated boundary between China and India on June 18. This is the first time China came out the with precise date about Indian troops entering the disputed Doklam area near Sikkim allegedly to stop Chinese troops from constructing a road.

 “So the most pressing issue should be the withdrawal of troops into the Indian territory. So it is the pre-condition for any meaningful dialogue,” he said when asked whether any talks were going on between the two countries over the issue. He said in additions to the photographs of alleged Indian “incursion” into Donglong area, the Chinese foreign ministry will also upload a map on its website to provide a “better understanding of the reality”. 

He also refuted Bhutan’s allegation that Chinese troops’ attempts to build the road violated the 1988 and 1999 agreements to maintain peace and tranquilly. Army chief attends  high-level meeting A high-level meeting on Friday reviewed the situation in the Sikkim sector where tensions have flared up between Indian troops and Chinese military over construction of a road by China in a strategically key area near the India-China border. 

The meeting was attended by army chief General Bipin Rawat, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar among others and it carried out detailed analysis of the overall situation in the sensitive areas. General Rawat, who returned from Sikkim on Friday morning, presented a detailed account of ground realities in the wake of the stand-off between the two armies triggered by China’s attempts to build a road at Donglong which Bhutan says belonged to it. 

The Kailash Mansarovar yatra through Nathu La in Sikkim has been cancelled, an official said on Friday. Decision comes in the wake of a face-off between Indian and Chinese troops along the Sino-Indian border. The move comes as a disappointment to the 400 devotees who were hoping to go for the pilgrimage.