India must withdraw its troops on the Doklam plateau or face ''serious consequences'', said a senior Chinese diplomat in New Delhi on Thursday.
The remarks mark a serious escalation in rhetoric over the ongoing tensions between the two countries, as their armies continue a six-week long stand-off near the India-Bhutan-China trijunction off Sikkim.
“The crossing of the boundary line by Indian troops into the territory of China using the pretext of security concerns for a 3rd party [Bhutan] is illegal,” Chinese Deputy Chief of Mission Liu Jinsong told journalists. “The troops should be withdrawn immediately, otherwise there will be serious consequences,” he said.
While refusing to elaborate on what the “consequences” would be, he said India's action at Doklam was akin to “intruding into your neighbours house, and demanding that the neighbour leave to ensure your withdrawal.” He quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping's obervation, “Military option is the fundamental guarantor of sovereignty.”
The comments, the sharpest Chinese statement yet, follows India’s rejection of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ 15-page position statement that was published on Wednesday. It had claimed that the number of Indian troops on the part of the Doklam plateau, contested between China and Bhutan, had reduced from 400 to “over 40”.
Indian government sources, however, had said that there was no reduction in Indian troops.
Repeating the charge, Mr. Liu said that as of Thursday, the Chinese Army had counted exactly 48 Indian soldiers. “Even one Indian soldier violating Chinese sovereignty is too many,” he continued, “We cannot bear that for another hour, another day, and they must be pulled out immediately.”
Chinese troops had notified India of their intention to refurbish a road in what it called its own territory on two occasions, on May 18 and June 8, the first time China has shared the specific details. It was “very shocking” for the Chinese side when the Indian troops came over to the disputed territory, he said.
More significantly, Mr. Liu alleged that India had not, as the government had maintained, come to the rescue of Bhutanese troops in the area.
When asked by The Hindu whether China was embarrassed by the Bhutan Foreign Ministry statement of June 30 that said the Chinese road construction activity was in “direct violation” of previous agreements, Mr. Liu said, “From the Bhutanese statement, nothing reflects that the Bhutanese side invited or knew before hand that India would send troops. Even if we accept a difference of view between China and Bhutan, we have many mechanisms to resolve them bilaterally.”
Bhutan’s Ambassador to India V. Namgyal told The Hindu he would not comment on the remarks by the Chinese envoy, saying that there was “nothing further to add” to the official statement.
When contacted for a response, the Ministry of External Affairs too declined to add to its statement of Wednesday, where it said that “peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas is an important pre-requisite for smooth development of our bilateral relations with China.”
Taking the rhetoric over the six-week long standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction to a sharper pitch, China’s deputy chief of mission Liu Jinsong told journalists in Delhi today that China expects India to withdraw all troops or face serious consequences. Highlights of the remarks:
Q: The Chinese MFA statement claimed that India had been notified about the contentious road construction activity before it began…when was this notified and at what level?
A: The road construction activities are not new developments. Actually they took place many years ago. As for the case in point, we notified the Indian side about our road activities on May 18, one month before the incident (troop stand-off) and then notified them for the second time on June 8. It is within China’s right to do so, but in a measure to improve confidence building we notified India. Without any response to our notification, the Indian side sent armed troops to obstruct us, and this is very shocking for us. This represents a disregard, and the trampling of the goodwill of the Chinese side.
Q: What is the level of troops in the disputed area at present, and how do you respond to the Indian government response that there has been no decline in troop levels?
A: Right now, I can tell you that there are 48 Indian military guards in our territory of Donglang (Doklam). I have seen reports that “government sources” claim there are still about 400 troops in this area, but our figures are correct, and it is open for double-checking. But the number of troops is not important: 400 or 40, they represent troops that are trespassing in another country’s territory, and every day they are there is another day of violating China’s national sovereignty.
Q: India says it is there at Bhutan’s request, and in response to its obligation to protect Bhutan’s national interests.
A: India is trying to draw Bhutan into its dispute with China, and to use Bhutan as a pretext for its ends. Bhutan has only two neighbours and both India and China need to respect its independence and its right to a foreign policy. In fact, India has embarrassed Bhutan by sending its troops into its disputed area with China. We say to India: do not intervene with your fingers in other country’s affairs, and withdraw your legs, that have stretched out too long.
Q: Bhutan’s statement clearly says China is in direct violation of its agreements, it doesn’t even mention India. So doesn’t the Bhutanese statement embarrass China, actually?
A: From the Bhutanese statement nothing reflects that the Bhutanese side invited or knew before hand that India would send troops. Even if we accept a difference of view between China and Bhutan, we have many mechanisms to resolve them bilaterally. Bhutan is not a protectorate of India and India is not a sovereign of Bhutan…. The Bhutanese side has said they knew nothing about the Indian troops movement…The crossing of the boundary line by Indian troops into the territory of China using the pretext of security concerns for a 3rd party (Bhutan) is illegal. The troops should be withdrawn immediately; otherwise there will be serious consequences.
Q: What are these consequences you speak of? And will this standoff affect the BRICS summit in early September and the proposed meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping?
A: Let me answer the second part first. The procedures of the BRICS summit are jointly made by all five countries. We welcome India’s role in the summit, and they have made very good arrangements already. This standoff is a bilateral issue, so it should be kept separate. It is still too early to speak of the bilateral meetings, and it remains for diplomatic channels to discuss this….By crossing into Chinese territory and staying there, India cannot alter the nature of the tri-junction point. The Chinese side has made no mention of any military options at present. At the 90 year ceremony for the PLA President Xi said China has many options to guarantee peace, but the military option is the fundamental guarantor of sovereignty.
Q: India has referred to the 2012 agreement where India and China agreed that any tri-junction post must be agreed to by all three countries. Why is China silent on that, and is there any chance of a trilateral dialogue on this?
A: The 2012 agreement was an internal consensus (between Indian and Chinese special representatives). However, the only legal document is the 1890 convention between British government and the Chinese government at the time on Sikkim and Tibet boundaries. So the answer to your question is yes, in order to demarcate the line and tri-junction will take all three parties. But current actions show that India has denied its commitment to 1890 by previous governments and reversed other commitments made previously. Under such circumstances, how can we discuss a trilateral format for discussing the issue?
