China urges India to uphold peace, tranquility after border clashes

Beijing: China on Monday urged India to uphold the peace and tranquility in the border regions with its concrete actions after clashes between the soldiers of the two countries erupted on Sikkim border region.

“We hope India will work with China to uphold peace and tranquility in the border regions with its concrete actions,” Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said during his regular briefing here.

A clash happened at China-India border last week. Several Chinese and Indian soldiers were injured after throwing stones and fighting each other.

The spokesperson said, “As to China-India border issue, our position is clear and consistence. Our troops there remained committed to upholding of peace and stability in the region. This serves the common interest of our two countries and two people.”

He said the Chinese border troops had always been upholding peace and tranquility along the border areas of the two countries and added, “China and India stay in close communication and coordination concerning our border affairs within existing channels.”

Zhao Lijian remarked that this year marked the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties and two countries had joined hands in the fight against Covid-19.

“Under such circumstances, the two sides should work together, handle the differences earnestly and uphold peace and stability in the border regions so as to create enabling conditions for bilateral relations as well as to fight against covid-19 jointly,” he added.

When asked whether China was looking at adopting an aggressive approach against India after the Covid-19 pandemic, he termed the relevant assumption as groundless.

“Since the outbreak of Covid-19, China and India have been staying closely in communication and cooperation on prevention and control of the challenge,” he added.

He said now most pressing concern for the international community was solidarity and cooperation against Covid-19, and added, “We should not allow any politicization and stigmatization in a bid to create more differences or confrontation.”

Earlier, Indian media claimed that India troops rolled back attempts by Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to push their way into Sikkim’s Muguthang valley and clashes took an ugly turn on Friday.