China asks India for urgent withdrawal to avoid escalation
China on Tuesday called for an immediate withdrawal of Indian troops that illegally crossed the boundary so as "to avoid escalation". China's Foreign Ministry said, "The illegal trespass by the Indian border personnel has drawn extensive attention from the international community." China also asserted that India should not use illegal trespass as a "policy tool" to realise its political targets.
China today called for an "immediate withdrawal" of Indian troops at Doklam "to avoid escalation", even as Beijing briefed foreign diplomatic missions in China on the stand-off at the trijunction."We have reiterated our position," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said. "We hope the Indian side can get a clear understanding of the current situation and take immediate measures to bring back the personnel that illegally crossed the boundary so as to avoid escalation."On the briefing with the foreign diplomatic missions in Beijing, Lu said: "The illegal trespass by the Indian border personnel has drawn extensive attention from the international community.""Many foreign diplomatic missions in China said they were shocked by this and wanted to confirm whether it was true with the Chinese side," he said. "China maintains close communication with foreign diplomatic missions on issues they are interested in."Lu said China "also stressed that facts are very clear in this incident.""The Sikkim section is mutually recognised by two sides and this time Indian border personnel illegally trespassed the boundary into China's territory," he said. "We stressed the Indian side should not take a trespass as policy tool to realise their political target."ALSO READ: