Doklam standoff: China sends a warning to India over border dispute

The Chinese military Monday asked India not to harbor any “illusions” about its resolve to protect China’s sovereignty, the latest warning to come from Beijing on the Doklam border standoff that is in its second month.

The People’s Liberation Army, the world’s largest armed force, said its capability to protect China’s territory was “indomitable” and it was ready to step up deployment on the plateau, which is close to India’s northeastern state of Sikkim.

“The willingness and resolve of China to defend its sovereignty is indomitable and we will safeguard our sovereignty whatever the cost,” defense ministry spokesman and deputy director-general of information Col. Wu Qian said in response to a question on the border row on Monday.

“Shaking a mountain is easy but shaking the People’s Liberation Army is hard,” he said, adding Chinese troops had undertaken emergency response measures and would step up deployment and drills in the area.

“The Chinese border troops have undertaken emergency response measures in the area and will further step up deployment and training in response to this situation,” Wu said.

Border guards of the two countries are locked in a standoff since June 16, with China accusing India of trespassing and preventing its soldiers from building a road.

Bhutan and India maintain that Doklam, or Donglang as the Chinese call it, is a Bhutanese territory.

The withdrawal of Indian soldiers was a precondition for resolving the situation, he said. “India should not leave things to luck and not harbor any unrealistic illusions,” Wu said.

India has said China should withdraw troops from the trijunction for the two sides to talk. New Delhi also says the road, if built, will have serious security implications for India.

Donglang was Chinese territory and building a road on its territory was an act of sovereignty, Wu said.

“The crossing of the mutually recognized international border by India is a serious violation of China’s territory and runs against international law,” he said.

China strongly urged India to withdraw its troops and take concrete measures to correct “its errors and put an end to its provocative acts” to maintain peace in border areas.

Wu was speaking at a specially convened briefing to mark the 90th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army on Aug. 1.

The anniversary could be the reason for China’s unusually aggressive and often provocative statements on the standoff – Beijing wants the armed forces to be seen as a strong unit working under the Communist Party of China, which holds its 19th congress this year.

“The history of the [People’s Liberation Army] of past 90 years has proven our resolve to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity, and our capability and resolve are indomitable,” Wu said.

The People’s Liberation Army has been flexing its muscles to coincide with the impasse, conducting large-scale military exercises, including “live-fire” drills in Tibet, close to the Indian frontier.