China's People's Liberation Army(PLA) has said that its ties with the Indian military is "improving" and thanked the efforts of Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping for the improvement.

China's defence spokesperson colonel Wu Qian said: "Thanks to the efforts of the two heads of the state, the military relationship is improving and two countries maintain strategic dialogues and conduct practical cooperation, and also strengthen their exchanges along their borders".

The statement comes days after the two militaries concluded the eight round of their 'Hand-in-Hand-2019’ joint exercise in Shillong on December 21. The exercise was aimed at building and promoting positive relations between both the armies.

The defence spokesman said that the PLA was willing to work together with India to protect regional stability and fight terrorism.&nbsp;

China's latest statement comes after both militaries were recently were engaged in a 73-day standoff at Dokhlam in 2017. The two countries have since hit the reset button to some extent. In 1962, the two nations had fought a bitter war leading to tensions on the border for decades.

However, in the past two years, there have been moves towards finding common ground between the two countries. President Xi had hosted Prime Minister Modi for an informal summit in Wuhan in April 2018 which was followed by the informal talks between the two leaders in Mamallapuram this year.

The recent military exercise between the two countries was meant to enhance relationship between the two armies and to focus on counter-terrorist handling and firing with each others’ weapons, battle obstacles course, special heliborne operations and case studies of various operations carried out in the counter-terrorist environment.

Next year marks the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between China and India. 
&nbsp;

China's People's Liberation Army(PLA) has said that its ties with the Indian military is "improving" and thanked the efforts of Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping for the improvement.

China's People's Liberation Army(PLA) has said that its ties with the Indian military is "improving" and thanked the efforts of Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping for the improvement. China's defence spokesperson colonel Wu Qian said: "Thanks to the efforts of the two heads of the state, the military relationship is improving and two countries maintain strategic dialogues and conduct practical cooperation, and also strengthen their exchanges along their borders". The statement comes days after the two militaries concluded the eight round of their 'Hand-in-Hand-2019’ joint exercise in Shillong on December 21. The exercise was aimed at building and promoting positive relations between both the armies. The defence spokesman said that the PLA was willing to work together with India to protect regional stability and fight terrorism. China's latest statement comes after both militaries were recently were engaged in a 73-day standoff at Dokhlam in 2017. The two countries have since hit the reset button to some extent. In 1962, the two nations had fought a bitter war leading to tensions on the border for decades. However, in the past two years, there have been moves towards finding common ground between the two countries. President Xi had hosted Prime Minister Modi for an informal summit in Wuhan in April 2018 which was followed by the informal talks between the two leaders in Mamallapuram this year. The recent military exercise between the two countries was meant to enhance relationship between the two armies and to focus on counter-terrorist handling and firing with each others’ weapons, battle obstacles course, special heliborne operations and case studies of various operations carried out in the counter-terrorist environment. Next year marks the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between China and India.

Military ties improving with India due to efforts of Modi, Xi: China army

China on Monday expressed hope that the resumption of military exercises between the Indian and Chinese armies that will begin on Tuesday would inject impetus and yield good results for the improvement of bilateral ties.

An Indian military team headed by Col Puneet Tomar has arrived in China's southwestern Chengdu city to take part in the 'Hand-in-Hand' military drills between the two armies starting there from Tuesday, the Indian Embassy here said.

Officials earlier said both sides would field 100 personnel to take part in the seventh edition of the exercises. The inaugural ceremony would be held on Tuesday and the drills would be concluded on December 23.

The drills are being held after a gap of one year as they could not be held last year because both armies were locked in a 73-day standoff at Doklam in the Sikkim sector.

Asked about how China viewed the exercises being resumed after Doklam, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: "We hope this can have good results".

He referred to the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at Wuhan in April this year and the "important consensus" reached between the two leaders to improve relations.

He noted that the two leaders had met four times this year.

The two countries should implement the consensus between the two leaders including the exchanges between the two militaries, Lu said.

"Under the guidance of the consensus between the two leaders and through the concerted efforts of the two sides, I hope the exchanges between the two militaries can achieve positive outcomes, injecting impetus to the bilateral ties," he said.

The Chinese military earlier said the subject of the exercises will include adoptive and basic training, and live shooting.

"The drills will promote understanding between the two militaries and improving their capabilities in fighting terrorism," Chinese defence ministry spokesman Col Ren Guoqiang had said last month.

"True to its name which is 'Hand-in-Hand', we believe China and India's militaries should work hand-in-hand to bring benefits to our people," he said. 
After the Doklam standoff, the two militaries made efforts to improve relations following the Wuhan summit.

Besides resuming the defence dialogue after the standoff, the two countries also held the 21st round of border talks.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and China's State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who are the Special Representatives for the border talks, held the discussions on November 24 in Chengdu during which they called for intensifying efforts to find a solution to the vexed border dispute.

The two sides also held the ninth defence dialogue on November 13 led by Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and Lt General Shao Yuanming, Deputy Chief of Joint Staff Department of Central Military Commission of China.

China on Monday expressed hope that the resumption of military exercises between the Indian and Chinese armies that will begin on Tuesday would inject impetus and yield good results for the improvement of bilateral ties.

China on Monday expressed hope that the resumption of military exercises between the Indian and Chinese armies that will begin on Tuesday would inject impetus and yield good results for the improvement of bilateral ties. An Indian military team headed by Col Puneet Tomar has arrived in China's southwestern Chengdu city to take part in the 'Hand-in-Hand' military drills between the two armies starting there from Tuesday, the Indian Embassy here said. Officials earlier said both sides would field 100 personnel to take part in the seventh edition of the exercises. The inaugural ceremony would be held on Tuesday and the drills would be concluded on December 23. The drills are being held after a gap of one year as they could not be held last year because both armies were locked in a 73-day standoff at Doklam in the Sikkim sector. Asked about how China viewed the exercises being resumed after Doklam, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: "We hope this can have good results". He referred to the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at Wuhan in April this year and the "important consensus" reached between the two leaders to improve relations. He noted that the two leaders had met four times this year. The two countries should implement the consensus between the two leaders including the exchanges between the two militaries, Lu said. "Under the guidance of the consensus between the two leaders and through the concerted efforts of the two sides, I hope the exchanges between the two militaries can achieve positive outcomes, injecting impetus to the bilateral ties," he said. The Chinese military earlier said the subject of the exercises will include adoptive and basic training, and live shooting. "The drills will promote understanding between the two militaries and improving their capabilities in fighting terrorism," Chinese defence ministry spokesman Col Ren Guoqiang had said last month. "True to its name which is 'Hand-in-Hand', we believe China and India's militaries should work hand-in-hand to bring benefits to our people," he said. After the Doklam standoff, the two militaries made efforts to improve relations following the Wuhan summit. Besides resuming the defence dialogue after the standoff, the two countries also held the 21st round of border talks. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and China's State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who are the Special Representatives for the border talks, held the discussions on November 24 in Chengdu during which they called for intensifying efforts to find a solution to the vexed border dispute. The two sides also held the ninth defence dialogue on November 13 led by Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and Lt General Shao Yuanming, Deputy Chief of Joint Staff Department of Central Military Commission of China.

China hopes resumption of Sino-India military drills provide impetus to bilateral ties

India and China have agreed to continue the positive trajectory in the relationship and maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas at the 21st round of talks between the Special Representatives (SR) of two countries on the Boundary Issue.&nbsp;

According to a release by Ministry of External Affairs, "Special Representatives agreed that pending the final resolution of the boundary question, it is important to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and to ensure that the boundary question does not affect the overall development of the bilateral relationship."&nbsp;

The meet was led by India's special representative and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Dujiangyan, Chengdu in China's Sichuan province. This was the first SR talks after the famous Wuhan informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this year.

During the Doval-Wang talks, both recalled the "strategic guidance and support" to their work provided by "the leaders at the Wuhan Summit" and resolved to intensify their efforts to "achieve a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the India-China boundary question" at an early date.

The Special representatives underlined the importance of approaching the boundary question from the "strategic perspective of India-China relations" and agreed that an "early settlement of the boundary question serves the fundamental interests of both countries."

Last year the SR talks took place in Delhi amid the Doklam crisis. The 73-day long Doklam standoff at China, India and Bhutan trijunction had led to conflict between Indian and Chinese forces at the border. This meeting is the first meeting after State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi took over as special representative.

The two Special Representatives also underlined the "importance of sustained and effective implementation of the directions" given by PM Modi and Chinese President and give "due respect for each other’s sensitivities, concerns and aspirations".

<img alt="India China meet" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6a5c98b3-ef4e-4ff2-a153-9cced292e8df" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/india%20china%202.jpg" />

(Image source: Chinese Foreign Minister)

China led China Pakistan economic corridor which passes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir and China not supporting New Delhi's bid for entry into Nuclear Suppliers Group has been a cause of concern for India. India is also worried as China has not been calling on its all-weather ally Pakistan for its support to terror groups.

During the talks, NSA Doval expressed his condolences over the attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi and strongly condemned the terrorist attack. The SR talks come ahead of PM Modi-President Xi meet on the sidelines of G20. This is the fourth meeting between the two leaders. The two leaders first met in April for the informal Wuhan summit, followed by meet in Qingdao in June 2018 on the sidelines of SCO and then in Johannesburg in July in the sidelines of BRICS summit. &nbsp;

The SR mechanism was established in 2003.

India and China have agreed to continue the positive trajectory in the relationship and maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas at the 21st round of talks between the Special Representatives (SR) of two countries on the Boundary Issue.

India and China have agreed to continue the positive trajectory in the relationship and maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas at the 21st round of talks between the Special Representatives (SR) of two countries on the Boundary Issue. According to a release by Ministry of External Affairs, "Special Representatives agreed that pending the final resolution of the boundary question, it is important to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and to ensure that the boundary question does not affect the overall development of the bilateral relationship." The meet was led by India's special representative and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Dujiangyan, Chengdu in China's Sichuan province. This was the first SR talks after the famous Wuhan informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this year. During the Doval-Wang talks, both recalled the "strategic guidance and support" to their work provided by "the leaders at the Wuhan Summit" and resolved to intensify their efforts to "achieve a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the India-China boundary question" at an early date. The Special representatives underlined the importance of approaching the boundary question from the "strategic perspective of India-China relations" and agreed that an "early settlement of the boundary question serves the fundamental interests of both countries." Last year the SR talks took place in Delhi amid the Doklam crisis. The 73-day long Doklam standoff at China, India and Bhutan trijunction had led to conflict between Indian and Chinese forces at the border. This meeting is the first meeting after State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi took over as special representative. The two Special Representatives also underlined the "importance of sustained and effective implementation of the directions" given by PM Modi and Chinese President and give "due respect for each other’s sensitivities, concerns and aspirations". (Image source: Chinese Foreign Minister) China led China Pakistan economic corridor which passes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir and China not supporting New Delhi's bid for entry into Nuclear Suppliers Group has been a cause of concern for India. India is also worried as China has not been calling on its all-weather ally Pakistan for its support to terror groups. During the talks, NSA Doval expressed his condolences over the attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi and strongly condemned the terrorist attack. The SR talks come ahead of PM Modi-President Xi meet on the sidelines of G20. This is the fourth meeting between the two leaders. The two leaders first met in April for the informal Wuhan summit, followed by meet in Qingdao in June 2018 on the sidelines of SCO and then in Johannesburg in July in the sidelines of BRICS summit. The SR mechanism was established in 2003.

21st India, China border talks end with both agreeing to maintain peace along the border

In a new construction activity by China that could be seen as a provocation to India, China is constructing a new road near Line of Control area news Siachen says a defence ministry report accessed by Zee News.

Made from the northern bank of Shaksgam valley, the new road will give directed access to Line of control area near Siachen to the Chinese army.

Construction activities of a military post in Shaksgam valley were also reported.

According to report the initial stretch of the road will approximately be 21.3 km is completed with paved surface of 7-meter width.

The remaining 14.5 km of the road is still under construction.

The earlier detection of these activities is based on Google Earth Images where two new posts and five construction camps are seen astride a new road construction in Shaksgam Valley.

A total of two posts have been found from which post 1 is near the tri-junction of Pakistan occupied Kashmir, China and Shaksgam Valley boundaries at the river confluence of Oprang River and Shaksgam river.

Post 2 &nbsp;is located astride the new road approximately 20.5 km from the Post -1. It comprises a long building and a Watch Tower.

Sources say that the possible motive of such construction is to use this to take a step towards gaining claim over the sovereignty of Shaksgam Valley in future.

In view of China tacit support to Pakistan claim of Siachen up to the line of Karakoram Pass.

The Military implication of the activities in Shaksgam Valley with regard to Siachen Glacier cannot be ruled out as the Skasgam Valley runs along the northern watershed of&nbsp; 
the Karakoram Range which gives Chinese Army the access to Line of Control near Siachen.

Shaksgam Valley is part of Pakistan occupied Kashmir and it borders with Xinjiang province of China, as well as with the Siachen Glacier.&nbsp;

The valley was given by Pakistan to China in 1963 when they signed a boundary settlement agreement.&nbsp;

However, India does not recognise this agreement and considers the valley to be a part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

(Reported by Manish Shukla)

Made from the northern bank of Shaksgam valley, the new road will give directed access to Line of control area near Siachen to the Chinese army

In a new construction activity by China that could be seen as a provocation to India, China is constructing a new road near Line of Control area news Siachen says a defence ministry report accessed by Zee News. Made from the northern bank of Shaksgam valley, the new road will give directed access to Line of control area near Siachen to the Chinese army. Construction activities of a military post in Shaksgam valley were also reported. According to report the initial stretch of the road will approximately be 21.3 km is completed with paved surface of 7-meter width. The remaining 14.5 km of the road is still under construction. The earlier detection of these activities is based on Google Earth Images where two new posts and five construction camps are seen astride a new road construction in Shaksgam Valley. A total of two posts have been found from which post 1 is near the tri-junction of Pakistan occupied Kashmir, China and Shaksgam Valley boundaries at the river confluence of Oprang River and Shaksgam river. Post 2 is located astride the new road approximately 20.5 km from the Post -1. It comprises a long building and a Watch Tower. Sources say that the possible motive of such construction is to use this to take a step towards gaining claim over the sovereignty of Shaksgam Valley in future. In view of China tacit support to Pakistan claim of Siachen up to the line of Karakoram Pass. The Military implication of the activities in Shaksgam Valley with regard to Siachen Glacier cannot be ruled out as the Skasgam Valley runs along the northern watershed of the Karakoram Range which gives Chinese Army the access to Line of Control near Siachen. Shaksgam Valley is part of Pakistan occupied Kashmir and it borders with Xinjiang province of China, as well as with the Siachen Glacier. The valley was given by Pakistan to China in 1963 when they signed a boundary settlement agreement. However, India does not recognise this agreement and considers the valley to be a part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. (Reported by Manish Shukla)

China constructing 36 Km road for direct access to LoC near Siachen: Report

China on Friday justified its massive construction activities in the Doklam area, describing it as &quot;legitimate&quot; and aimed at improving the lives of its troops and the people living on its own territory.

China&#39;s reaction came amid reports that it was building a huge military complex close to the site of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/chinese-soldiers-in-doklam-but-fewer-in-number-army-chief-general-rawat-29870">Dokalam stand-off</a> with India.

&quot;China&#39;s position on the Donglong (what China calls Doklam) area is quite clear. Donglong always belonged to China and always under China&#39;s effective jurisdiction. There is no dispute in this regard,&quot; Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said, asserting Chinese sovereignty over the area which is also claimed by Bhutan.

&quot;China is exercising its sovereignty in its own territory. It&#39;s legitimate and justified. Just as China will not make comments about Indian construction of infrastructure on India&#39;s territory, we hope other countries will not make comment on China&#39;s construction of infrastructure on its territory,&quot; Lu added.

India, meanwhile, said it is keeping a close vigil on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/status-quo-not-altered-at-doklam-india-29981">latest developments</a>. &quot;We are keeping a close vigil,&quot; Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

Asked about reports citing satellite imagery of a Chinese military complex in the area, Lu said: &quot;I have also noted the relevant report. I don&#39;t know who offered such kind of photos.&quot;

But at same time he said he did not have detailed information on it.

Asked about concerns that China is preparing for a second standoff at Dokalam area, he said Indian troops&#39; intervention to stop building a key road close the Chicken Neck Corridor of India, has put the bilateral ties to severe test.

Indian and Chinese troops were locked in a stand-off for over two months last year in the Doklam area near Sikkim before &quot;disengaging&quot; on August 28.

(With inputs from agencies)

China's reaction came amid reports that it was building a huge military complex close to the site of the Dokalam stand-off with India.

China on Friday justified its massive construction activities in the Doklam area, describing it as "legitimate" and aimed at improving the lives of its troops and the people living on its own territory. China's reaction came amid reports that it was building a huge military complex close to the site of the Dokalam stand-off with India. "China's position on the Donglong (what China calls Doklam) area is quite clear. Donglong always belonged to China and always under China's effective jurisdiction. There is no dispute in this regard," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said, asserting Chinese sovereignty over the area which is also claimed by Bhutan. "China is exercising its sovereignty in its own territory. It's legitimate and justified. Just as China will not make comments about Indian construction of infrastructure on India's territory, we hope other countries will not make comment on China's construction of infrastructure on its territory," Lu added. India, meanwhile, said it is keeping a close vigil on latest developments. "We are keeping a close vigil," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. Asked about reports citing satellite imagery of a Chinese military complex in the area, Lu said: "I have also noted the relevant report. I don't know who offered such kind of photos." But at same time he said he did not have detailed information on it. Asked about concerns that China is preparing for a second standoff at Dokalam area, he said Indian troops' intervention to stop building a key road close the Chicken Neck Corridor of India, has put the bilateral ties to severe test. Indian and Chinese troops were locked in a stand-off for over two months last year in the Doklam area near Sikkim before "disengaging" on August 28. (With inputs from agencies)

China 'justifies' building infrastructure in Doklam; India says keeping a close vigil

China today hit out at Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat for calling Dokalam a disputed territory and said that his &quot;unconstructive&quot; comments were not helpful for maintaining peace at the borders.

In an angry rebuttal to Gen Rawat&#39;s comments, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said his comments went against the consensus reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit last September to bring ties back on track and preserve peace on the border.

The Chinese reaction came following comments by Gen Rawat two days ago that India needs to shift focus from its border with Pakistan to that of China and spoke of pressure being exerted by Beijing along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

&quot;Last year, India-China relations have witnessed some twists and turns,&quot; Lu said and referred to Modi-Xi consensus and the high-level talks since December to improve the ties.

&quot;The dialogue and consultation have shown sound momentum of improvement and development,&quot; he said.

&quot;Under such background, the unconstructive remarks by the Indian senior official (Gen Rawat) not only go against the consensus reached by the two heads of state but also do not conform to the efforts made by the two sides to improve and develop bilateral relations,&quot; Lu said.

The remarks &quot;cannot help to preserve the tranquillity and peace at the border areas,&quot; areas he said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/wont-allow-anti-india-activities-in-kashmir-army-chief-29627" target="_blank">Won&#39;t allow anti-India activities in Kashmir, says Army Chief</a>

Asked what were Gen Rawat&#39;s specific comments that China is taking exception to, Lu pointed to the Indian Army chief&#39;s remarks on Dokalam wherein he said it is a disputed territory between Bhutan and China.

&quot;I have made myself clear, if the senior official according to the report referred to the Donglang - I think you are clear about our position - Donglang belongs to China and has always been in the effective jurisdiction of China,&quot; Lu asserted.

He reiterated China&#39;s stand that the Sikkim section of the India-China boundary has been delimited by the 1890 &quot;historical convention&quot; between the then British government and China, which Beijing claims settled the boundary in that particular section spanning to about 200 kms.

China wants India to settle the boundary in that particular section based on the treaty while the two sides negotiated for a settlement for the rest of the LAC which spans about 3,488 kms. So far the two sides have held 20 rounds of border talks to resolve the issue.

&quot;Donglang is China&#39;s territory. China will continue to exercise its sovereignty rights in accordance with the historical convention and steadfastly uphold its territorial sovereignty,&quot; Lu said.

On its part, Bhutan had lodged a diplomatic protest with China when Chinese troops began building a road in the Dokalam area in June. Indian troops had objected to the construction of the road resulting in a 73-day standoff.

The standoff was resolved after Chinese troops stopped road building and India withdrew its troops from the area.

In an apparent reference to Gen Rawat&#39;s comment that Dokalam is a disputed territory between Bhutan and China, Lu said, &quot;the remarks of the Army chief mentioned by you once again showed that the illegal trespass of the Indian border troops is quite clear-cut in nature. Donglang belong to China.&quot;

&quot;We require the Indian military to learn lessons and abide by the historical convention and earnestly uphold the peace and tranquillity for the border areas and create sound atmosphere for the political development of bilateral relations,&quot; he said.

On Gen Rawat&#39;s comments that China is exhorting pressure on India along the LAC, Lu said, &quot;if he refers to the situation in whole India-China boundary, I have also said that last September the two heads of state have reached important consensus during the Xiamen (BRICS) summit&quot;.

&quot;Both sides have maintained effective communication since then. The aim is to enhance strategic mutual trust and create enabling atmosphere for strategic communication. Recently, the bilateral relations have shown positive momentum.&quot; Lu said, referring to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi&#39;s visit to India in December followed by 20th round of border talks between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

&quot;On such background, the official mentioned by you made such kind of remarks that go against the consensus of the states and do not conform to the general trend of improvement of bilateral relations. We believe such kinds of remarks are not conducive to maintaining peace and tranquillity in border areas,&quot; Lu said.

He did not directly respond to a question about Gen Rawat&#39;s earlier remarks about major reduction of Chinese troops from the Dokalam area and reiterated China?s stand that area belonged to China.

&quot;China and India are important neighbours. They are both at the critical stage of the national development and rejuvenation. The two countries should enhance strategic communication and eliminate strategic doubt and conduct strategic cooperation,&quot; he said.

&quot;We urge the Indian side to follow through on the important consensus of the two leaders to do more things to preserve peace and stability of the border area and refrain from doing things which may complicate the situation, constructively handle the relevant affairs and promote steady development of bilateral relations.

&quot;This serves the common interest of the whole region and the interest o the Indian side,&quot; Lu added.&nbsp;

China said Rawat's unconstructive comments were not helpful for maintaining peace at the borders

China today hit out at Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat for calling Dokalam a disputed territory and said that his "unconstructive" comments were not helpful for maintaining peace at the borders. In an angry rebuttal to Gen Rawat's comments, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said his comments went against the consensus reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit last September to bring ties back on track and preserve peace on the border. The Chinese reaction came following comments by Gen Rawat two days ago that India needs to shift focus from its border with Pakistan to that of China and spoke of pressure being exerted by Beijing along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). "Last year, India-China relations have witnessed some twists and turns," Lu said and referred to Modi-Xi consensus and the high-level talks since December to improve the ties. "The dialogue and consultation have shown sound momentum of improvement and development," he said. "Under such background, the unconstructive remarks by the Indian senior official (Gen Rawat) not only go against the consensus reached by the two heads of state but also do not conform to the efforts made by the two sides to improve and develop bilateral relations," Lu said. The remarks "cannot help to preserve the tranquillity and peace at the border areas," areas he said. Also read: Won't allow anti-India activities in Kashmir, says Army Chief Asked what were Gen Rawat's specific comments that China is taking exception to, Lu pointed to the Indian Army chief's remarks on Dokalam wherein he said it is a disputed territory between Bhutan and China. "I have made myself clear, if the senior official according to the report referred to the Donglang - I think you are clear about our position - Donglang belongs to China and has always been in the effective jurisdiction of China," Lu asserted. He reiterated China's stand that the Sikkim section of the India-China boundary has been delimited by the 1890 "historical convention" between the then British government and China, which Beijing claims settled the boundary in that particular section spanning to about 200 kms. China wants India to settle the boundary in that particular section based on the treaty while the two sides negotiated for a settlement for the rest of the LAC which spans about 3,488 kms. So far the two sides have held 20 rounds of border talks to resolve the issue. "Donglang is China's territory. China will continue to exercise its sovereignty rights in accordance with the historical convention and steadfastly uphold its territorial sovereignty," Lu said. On its part, Bhutan had lodged a diplomatic protest with China when Chinese troops began building a road in the Dokalam area in June. Indian troops had objected to the construction of the road resulting in a 73-day standoff. The standoff was resolved after Chinese troops stopped road building and India withdrew its troops from the area. In an apparent reference to Gen Rawat's comment that Dokalam is a disputed territory between Bhutan and China, Lu said, "the remarks of the Army chief mentioned by you once again showed that the illegal trespass of the Indian border troops is quite clear-cut in nature. Donglang belong to China." "We require the Indian military to learn lessons and abide by the historical convention and earnestly uphold the peace and tranquillity for the border areas and create sound atmosphere for the political development of bilateral relations," he said. On Gen Rawat's comments that China is exhorting pressure on India along the LAC, Lu said, "if he refers to the situation in whole India-China boundary, I have also said that last September the two heads of state have reached important consensus during the Xiamen (BRICS) summit". "Both sides have maintained effective communication since then. The aim is to enhance strategic mutual trust and create enabling atmosphere for strategic communication. Recently, the bilateral relations have shown positive momentum." Lu said, referring to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India in December followed by 20th round of border talks between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi. "On such background, the official mentioned by you made such kind of remarks that go against the consensus of the states and do not conform to the general trend of improvement of bilateral relations. We believe such kinds of remarks are not conducive to maintaining peace and tranquillity in border areas," Lu said. He did not directly respond to a question about Gen Rawat's earlier remarks about major reduction of Chinese troops from the Dokalam area and reiterated China?s stand that area belonged to China. "China and India are important neighbours. They are both at the critical stage of the national development and rejuvenation. The two countries should enhance strategic communication and eliminate strategic doubt and conduct strategic cooperation," he said. "We urge the Indian side to follow through on the important consensus of the two leaders to do more things to preserve peace and stability of the border area and refrain from doing things which may complicate the situation, constructively handle the relevant affairs and promote steady development of bilateral relations. "This serves the common interest of the whole region and the interest o the Indian side," Lu added.

China says General Rawat's remarks on Dokalam 'unconstructive'

China today skirted a direct response to Army chief General Bipin Rawat&#39;s remarks that there was a major reduction of Chinese troops in Dokalam, but insisted that its soldiers stationed in the area were exercising &quot;sovereignty rights&quot;.

China and India were engaged in a 73-day tense standoff at Dokalam in the Sikkim sector which ended on August 28.

&quot;The Dong Lang (Dokalam) area has all along been part of China and under China&#39;s continuous and effective jurisdiction. There is no dispute in this regard,&quot; Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media when asked about Rawat&#39;s remarks.

Rawat yesterday said Indian and Chinese troops had resolved an issue over the recent attempt by Chinese teams to build a road on the Indian side of the border at Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh.

Rawat also said there was a major reduction of Chinese troops in the Dokalam area.

&quot;Chinese border troops patrolling and stationing in the Dong Lang area are exercising sovereignty rights in accordance with the stipulations of historical conventions and upholding the territorial sovereignty,&quot; he said, without commenting on the troop reduction.

Lu also did not directly refer to Rawat&#39;s comment that India and China have sorted out the issue relating to the plans of Chinese troops to construct a road well into the Indian territory at Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh in the last week of December.

Lu reiterated China&#39;s claims over Arunachal Pradesh which Beijing says is part of South Tibet.

&quot;My colleagues have responded to the question concerning this many times. I need to reiterate that there is a huge dispute on the eastern section of the China-India boundary,&quot; Lu said.

&quot;So we have to reach an agreement through consensus. But before that we need to uphold peace and security. We can properly resolve the relevant dispute through mechanisms already established and bind by historical boundary related agreements,&quot; he said.

On Dokalam, China has been asserting that the area which was also been claimed by Bhutan belonged to it.

The Dokalam standoff, the longest in recent years between the two nations, ended after China agreed to stop road construction and India withdrew its troops.

But much to the surprise of India, China continued the deployment of its troops in an area close to the site of standoff disregarding its previous practice of pulling out soldiers during the winter.&nbsp;

Rawat claimed that both the countries had resolved an issue over the recent attempt by Chinese teams to build a road on the Indian side

China today skirted a direct response to Army chief General Bipin Rawat's remarks that there was a major reduction of Chinese troops in Dokalam, but insisted that its soldiers stationed in the area were exercising "sovereignty rights". China and India were engaged in a 73-day tense standoff at Dokalam in the Sikkim sector which ended on August 28. "The Dong Lang (Dokalam) area has all along been part of China and under China's continuous and effective jurisdiction. There is no dispute in this regard," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media when asked about Rawat's remarks. Rawat yesterday said Indian and Chinese troops had resolved an issue over the recent attempt by Chinese teams to build a road on the Indian side of the border at Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh. Rawat also said there was a major reduction of Chinese troops in the Dokalam area. "Chinese border troops patrolling and stationing in the Dong Lang area are exercising sovereignty rights in accordance with the stipulations of historical conventions and upholding the territorial sovereignty," he said, without commenting on the troop reduction. Lu also did not directly refer to Rawat's comment that India and China have sorted out the issue relating to the plans of Chinese troops to construct a road well into the Indian territory at Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh in the last week of December. Lu reiterated China's claims over Arunachal Pradesh which Beijing says is part of South Tibet. "My colleagues have responded to the question concerning this many times. I need to reiterate that there is a huge dispute on the eastern section of the China-India boundary," Lu said. "So we have to reach an agreement through consensus. But before that we need to uphold peace and security. We can properly resolve the relevant dispute through mechanisms already established and bind by historical boundary related agreements," he said. On Dokalam, China has been asserting that the area which was also been claimed by Bhutan belonged to it. The Dokalam standoff, the longest in recent years between the two nations, ended after China agreed to stop road construction and India withdrew its troops. But much to the surprise of India, China continued the deployment of its troops in an area close to the site of standoff disregarding its previous practice of pulling out soldiers during the winter.

Doklam: Indian Army chief says PLA troops reduced, China mum

The United States said on Friday that it wants India and China to have a dialogue over the Dokalam stand-off.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s a situation that we have certainly followed closely,&quot; US state department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at a news conference.&nbsp;

&quot;As you know, we have relationships with both governments. We continue to encourage both parties to sit down and have conversations about that. And I&#39;ll just leave it at that,&quot; Nauert added.

Tensions are high as India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area for the last 50 days.

The stand-off ensued after &nbsp;Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from constructing a road in the region.&nbsp;

Tensions are high as India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area for the last 50 days

The United States said on Friday that it wants India and China to have a dialogue over the Dokalam stand-off. "It's a situation that we have certainly followed closely," US state department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at a news conference. "As you know, we have relationships with both governments. We continue to encourage both parties to sit down and have conversations about that. And I'll just leave it at that," Nauert added. Tensions are high as India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area for the last 50 days. The stand-off ensued after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from constructing a road in the region.

Dokalam stand-off: US calls for India-China dialogue

The Indian Army has said that it is in a &#39;no war, no peace&#39; mode against the Chinese military in Dokalam and status quo remains in the region.

The no war, no peace mode refers to a confrontation or face-off position with enemies.&nbsp;

Official sources told PTI that there has been no particular movement of troops and weapons from the Indian Army&#39;s side in the region. The sources said whatever &quot;movement&quot;&nbsp;is taking place is for maintenance purposes.&nbsp;

We are in no war no peace mode in Dokalam, the sources said.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/doklam-stand-off-after-chinas-veiled-threat-india-says-coordinating-with-bhutan-18610" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;After China&#39;s veiled threat, India says coordinating with Bhutan</a>

The sources told PTI that there has been no enhancement of troops on the India-Bhutan-China trijunction.&nbsp;

India and China have been in a stand-off in Dokalam for the last 50 days after Indian Army stopped Chinese troops from building a road in the region.&nbsp;

China claims that it was building the road within its territory and has been demanding a pull-out of the Indian Army from Dokalam. Bhutan and China both lay claim on Dokalam,&nbsp;

Sources told PTI that there has been no enhancement of troops on the India-Bhutan-China trijunction

The Indian Army has said that it is in a 'no war, no peace' mode against the Chinese military in Dokalam and status quo remains in the region. The no war, no peace mode refers to a confrontation or face-off position with enemies. Official sources told PTI that there has been no particular movement of troops and weapons from the Indian Army's side in the region. The sources said whatever "movement" is taking place is for maintenance purposes. We are in no war no peace mode in Dokalam, the sources said. Also read: After China's veiled threat, India says coordinating with Bhutan The sources told PTI that there has been no enhancement of troops on the India-Bhutan-China trijunction. India and China have been in a stand-off in Dokalam for the last 50 days after Indian Army stopped Chinese troops from building a road in the region. China claims that it was building the road within its territory and has been demanding a pull-out of the Indian Army from Dokalam. Bhutan and China both lay claim on Dokalam,

Dokalam stand-off: Indian army in 'no war, no peace' mode against China

There is no significant rise in deployment of troops by China along the Sino-India border and its recent military exercise in the Tibet region should not be linked to the current standoff between the armies of the two countries in Dokalam, top government sources said today.

The sources said the exercise was a routine military drill by China and that its western theatre command has not made any major enhancement in its military might in the wake of the face-off that should trigger alarm bells in India. The command looks after the 3,488-km-long border with India.

The remarks by the government sources come against the backdrop of a report in the official mouthpiece of Chinese military that China&#39;s Army has moved tens of thousands of tonnes of military vehicles and hardware into the remote mountainous Tibet region after the face off with Indian troops in Dokalam in the Sikkim sector.

The vast haul was transported late last month, the report said but did not clarify whether the movement of the military equipment was to support the exercise in Tibet or for other reasons.

Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face- off for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the area.

Referring to Chinese military&#39;s recent live-fire exercise in the mountainous Tibet region, the government sources said it was a routine drill and will be an exaggeration to link it with the border face-off.

China&#39;s military yesterday had said it conducted the exercise to test its strike capability on plateaus.

China has been ratcheting up rhetoric against India in the recent weeks following the face-off between the armies of the two nation in the Bhutan tri-junction.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, while briefing a parliamentary panel on external affairs yesterday, maintained that New Delhi is engaged with Beijing in defusing tension through diplomatic channels.

A report in the Chinese military mouthpiece said that the army has moved tens of thousands of tonnes of military vehicles and hardware into the Tibet region

There is no significant rise in deployment of troops by China along the Sino-India border and its recent military exercise in the Tibet region should not be linked to the current standoff between the armies of the two countries in Dokalam, top government sources said today. The sources said the exercise was a routine military drill by China and that its western theatre command has not made any major enhancement in its military might in the wake of the face-off that should trigger alarm bells in India. The command looks after the 3,488-km-long border with India. The remarks by the government sources come against the backdrop of a report in the official mouthpiece of Chinese military that China's Army has moved tens of thousands of tonnes of military vehicles and hardware into the remote mountainous Tibet region after the face off with Indian troops in Dokalam in the Sikkim sector. The vast haul was transported late last month, the report said but did not clarify whether the movement of the military equipment was to support the exercise in Tibet or for other reasons. Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face- off for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the area. Referring to Chinese military's recent live-fire exercise in the mountainous Tibet region, the government sources said it was a routine drill and will be an exaggeration to link it with the border face-off. China's military yesterday had said it conducted the exercise to test its strike capability on plateaus. China has been ratcheting up rhetoric against India in the recent weeks following the face-off between the armies of the two nation in the Bhutan tri-junction. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, while briefing a parliamentary panel on external affairs yesterday, maintained that New Delhi is engaged with Beijing in defusing tension through diplomatic channels.

No significant rise in Chinese troop deployment: Government sources

India&#39;s foreign secretary, S Jaishankar, has said that India and China can reslove the ongoing standoff at Dokalam near the Bhutan trijunction just like they have handled such issues in the past.

&quot;When such situations arise, I see no reason, when having handled so many situations in the past, we would not be able to handle it,&quot; he said.

Jaishankar was speaking at a lecture organised by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the Indian High Commission.

His comments came in the backdrop of an ongoing standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies at the Dokalam area near the Bhutan trijunction for three weeks.&nbsp;

The standoff started after&nbsp;a Chinese construction party started building a road in the Dokalam area which China claims to be a part of its Donglang region.&nbsp;

Jaishankar said that border issues between the two neighbours have come up in the past and both the countries have managed to resolve it

India's foreign secretary, S Jaishankar, has said that India and China can reslove the ongoing standoff at Dokalam near the Bhutan trijunction just like they have handled such issues in the past. "When such situations arise, I see no reason, when having handled so many situations in the past, we would not be able to handle it," he said. Jaishankar was speaking at a lecture organised by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the Indian High Commission. His comments came in the backdrop of an ongoing standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies at the Dokalam area near the Bhutan trijunction for three weeks. The standoff started after a Chinese construction party started building a road in the Dokalam area which China claims to be a part of its Donglang region.

No reason to believe India and China can't handle the present border standoff: S Jaishankar

The annual Malabar naval exercise involving Indian, US&nbsp;and Japanese navies will begin on July 10 amid a standoff between the armies of India and China over the Dokalam plateau and China&#39;s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.

The annual exercise which will see India sending its largest naval fleet aims to achieve deeper military ties between the three countires.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokeman said that China does not have any objection to such cooperations and relationships as long as such exercises are not directed against a third nation.&nbsp;

&quot;As we have said before, we have no objection to normal bilateral relationship and cooperation among relevant countries. We hope that this kind of relationship and cooperation will not be directed against third country and that it will be conducive to the regional peace and security,&quot; Geng Shuang, China&#39;s foreign ministry spokeman, said.

The standoff between the two armies at the strategically important Dokalam area began over the construction of a road by the Chinese army near the Bhutan trijunction.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Friday in the backdrop of the impasse&nbsp;between&nbsp;both the countries&nbsp;back home.&nbsp;

Beijing has been wary of the Malabar exercise which is seen as an effort to contain its influence in the region.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
India&#39;s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, Japanese warship JS Izumo and US carrier Nimitz will be part of the joint naval drill.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said that China does not have any objection to such cooperations and relationships as long as such exercises are not directed against a third nation

The annual Malabar naval exercise involving Indian, US and Japanese navies will begin on July 10 amid a standoff between the armies of India and China over the Dokalam plateau and China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. The annual exercise which will see India sending its largest naval fleet aims to achieve deeper military ties between the three countires. A Chinese foreign ministry spokeman said that China does not have any objection to such cooperations and relationships as long as such exercises are not directed against a third nation. "As we have said before, we have no objection to normal bilateral relationship and cooperation among relevant countries. We hope that this kind of relationship and cooperation will not be directed against third country and that it will be conducive to the regional peace and security," Geng Shuang, China's foreign ministry spokeman, said. The standoff between the two armies at the strategically important Dokalam area began over the construction of a road by the Chinese army near the Bhutan trijunction. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Friday in the backdrop of the impasse between both the countries back home. Beijing has been wary of the Malabar exercise which is seen as an effort to contain its influence in the region. India's aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, Japanese warship JS Izumo and US carrier Nimitz will be part of the joint naval drill.

China cautious ahead of joint India, US and Japan naval drill in Bay of Bengal

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