China releases map claiming Indian, Bhutanese territory
Amid the current stand-off, China has released a map claiming a tri-junction, which is in conflict with India's and Bhutan's territorial claims. The map claims the Indian Army crossed the border at Doka La pass, which India and Bhutan consider Bhutanese territory but is claimed by China. Further, China marks its territory far south of where India and Bhutan do.
Stepping up its claims that India had "trespassed", China has now released a map showing the site of the stand-off as well as China's territorial claims at the India-China-Bhutan trijunction that are in conflict with India's and Bhutan's claims.The map claims the Indian Army crossed the border at Doka La pass, depicted with a blue arrow, into the Doklam plateau which India and Bhutan see as Bhutanese territory but is claimed by China.The map, released on Friday, also reveals China's substantial territorial claims at the trijunction that are conflicting with India's and Bhutan's. It shows that China fixes the trijunction far south of where India and Bhutan do, which explains the current stand-off.WHAT THE MAP SHOWSThe Chinese trijunction, marked by an arrow that claims it is under the 1890 Britain-China treaty, is at the Mount Gipmochi. This is far south of where India and Bhutan mark the trijunction, which the map acknowledged with a dotted line.The area on the Doklam plateau south of the dotted line is claimed by China, and it is here that Beijing was building a road into what Bhutan sees as its territory, triggering the stand-off with Bhutan and India.The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday: "The line commences at Mount Gipmochi on the Bhutan frontier, and follows the above-mentioned water-parting to the point where it meets Nepal territory. It is without any doubt that the spot where the Indian border troops trespassed is on the Chinese side of the boundary."INDIA CONCERNED OVER CHINESE INCURSION India, however, on Friday reminded China that building a road in this disputed area was a violation. "India is deeply concerned at the recent Chinese actions and has conveyed to the Chinese Government that such construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for India," the Ministry of External Affairs said."In this context, the Indian side has underlined that the two Governments had in 2012 reached agreement that the tri-junction boundary points between India, China and third countries will be finalized in consultation with the concerned countries. Any attempt, therefore, to unilaterally determine tri-junction points is in violation of this understanding. Where the boundary in the Sikkim sector is concerned, India and China had reached an understanding also in 2012 reconfirming their mutual agreement on the "basis of the alignment". Further discussions regarding finalization of the boundary have been taking place under the Special Representatives framework." Also Read:India-China standoff in Sikkim: What happened at Doka La