MEA rubbishes US official's claim of China's resumption of activities in Doklam
New Delhi, July 26 (IBNS): Reacting to a top US official's claim of China's resumption of activities in the disputed territory of Doklam, the Ministry of External Affairs has issued a statement to rubbish such reports.
According to The Times Of India, a top US official stated that China has resumed its operation in the Doklam region, where the Indian and the Chinese troops had standoff for several months.
The MEA statement reads, "The press reports attributing remarks on Doklam to a US official is incorrect."
The reference to Doklam was made by Congresswoman Anne Wagner in the form of a question posed to the senior State Department Official Alice G. Wells.
Wells, in her reply, made no reference to the situation in Doklam and said that India is vigorously defending its northern borders and this is a subject of concern to India.
"I would reiterate that since the disengagement of Indian and Chinese border personnel in the Doklam area on 28 August 2017, there have been no new developments at the face-off site and its vicinity. The status quo prevails in this area."
Wells has been quoted by The Times Of India as saying, "I would access that India is vigorously defending its northern borders and this is a subject of concern to India."
The long standoff between India and China reached a peaceful solution early this year as the latter agreed to stop road-construction activity across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Tuting area of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Indian side had also offered an olive branch by returning the two earth excavators and other equipment seized from Chinese workers in the region last month.
Several months had witnessed military standoff at the Bhutan-India-China tri-junction in Doklam, a disputed territory claimed by both Bhutan and China, where the Indian Army personnel had earlier reached to stop China from building a road.
China had accused India of trespassing into its territory and demanded withdrawal of troops leading to a prolonged standoff.
While India and Bhutan had claimed that the land belongs to the tiny Himalayan kingdom and that the Indian troops are there at the request of Bhutan, China earlier warned that it will not accept any dialogue till Indian soldiers pull out from Doklam.
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