Alwaght- China has reiterated its calls on India to withdraw troops from a disputed territory in the Himalayan Mountains amid rising tensions between the two nuclear powers.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang urged India to withdraw its troops from the area near the Chinese, Indian and Bhutanese borders.
"We have stated many times that we hope the Indian side will get a clear understanding of the situation (and) immediately take measures to withdraw the troops that illegally crossed the border back to the Indian side of the border,” Lu said, as quoted by AP.
He went on to state that Indian troops must withdraw before any talks can take place over the disputed territory.
China and Indian ally Bhutan have been locked in a standoff over the territory at the tri-junction of the three countries' borders for decades.
Tensions between China and India – which backs Bhutan's territorial claims – intensified on June 16, when Chinese teams began building a road at the disputed Doklam Plateau, which India says is Bhutanese soil.
Bhutan responded by requesting assistance from India, which sent its troops across the border.
Delhi also warned Beijing that the road was a "serious security concern" because it would give China access to the 'Chicken's Neck,' a thin wedge of land that links India's seven northeastern states to the rest of the country, NDTV reported.
The deployment of Indian troops to the area infuriated China, which retaliated by closing a nearby mountain pass that Indian pilgrims use to reach Mount Kailash, a sacred Hindu and Buddhist site in Tibet.
Both India and China strengthened their troops in the area in June, with each side adding about 3,000 soldiers.
The territorial dispute centers on disagreements of where the tri-junction of the three countries' borders lies. China says its territory extends south to an area called Gamochen, while India says Beijing's control ends further north, at Batanga La.
