With the cancellation of the Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage through the Nathu-la route, following border incidents between India and China at Sikkim, a high-level meeting was held and the Army chief is all set to visit the border state. The high-level meeting saw representatives of the Home Ministry, Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police in attendance, all who “took stock” of the tense situation on the India-China border in Sikkim.
Reports said China had bulldozed an old bunker of the Indian army at the tri-junction of India, China, and Bhutan in Sikkim, after it refused to remove the structure. China alleged that Indian soldiers crossed the boundary into China to interfere with the construction of a road. The incident took place in the Doko-La tri-junction area, where India is already objecting to the road that China is building towards Bhutan. The situation only came to light after China sent Indian pilgrims on their way to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet, back from the Nathu-la border last week.
While the Chinese Foreign Ministry has been vocal in conveying its side, New Delhi is yet to respond. Lu Kang, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said that the suspension of the pilgrimage route was “an emergency response to the situation there.” He added, “I want to stress that Indian pilgrims' trip to Xi Zang requires necessary atmosphere and conditions. The Indian side is to blame for the trip being able to take place as scheduled. As for when the pilgrimage route will reopen, it totally depends on whether the Indian side can correct its mistake in time.”
When told that the delineation of China's boundary with India at Sikkim was based on the Anglo-Chinese Convention of 1890, a 127-year-old treaty signed between the Qing Empire and Great Britain, Lu said, “Both China and the successive Indian governments recognise that the Sikkim section has been delimited. It has been confirmed by the Indian leader, the relevant Indian government document and the Indian delegation at the special representatives' meeting with China on the boundary question that India and China share (a) common view on the 1890 convention's stipulation on the boundary alignment at the Sikkim section. To observe the relevant convention and document in the inescapable international obligation of the Indian side.”
He repeated China's assertion that Donglang was part of Chinese territory “since ancient times and it doesn't belong to Bhutan.” The country in question meanwhile believes it is their Chinese neighbour that's at fault. Bhutan's Ambassador to India, Major-General V Namgyal said that “the road construction by the Chinese Army was 'progressing toward' a camp of the Royal Bhutan Army at Zom Perli” and that his government had told the Chinese side that this construction “is not in keeping with the agreements between China and Bhutan.” He added that Bhutan has asked China to “stop and refrain from changing the status quo.”
