'Will Keep Building Infrastructure In Doklam, India Should Not Comment': China

After India reacted to the satellite images that revealed a full-fledged Chinese military complex being built within Doklam, China today justified its construction activities as "legitimate" and said that India has no business to comment on any activity on its territory.

China's reaction came amid reports that it was building a huge military complex close to the site of the Dokalam standoff with India.

"We will keep building infrastructure in Doklam and India has no business to comment on construction activity on Chinese territory," said Chinese officials.

“China is exercising its sovereignty in its own territory. It’s legitimate and justified. Just as China will not make comments about Indian construction of infrastructure on India’s territory, we hope other countries will not make comment on China’s construction of infrastructure on its territory,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang quoted as saying.

Asked about reports citing satellite imagery of a Chinese military complex in the area, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: "I have also noted the relevant report. I don’t know who offered such kind of photos."

The reports raised concerns that China may have been preparing themselves for another standoff with India.

Lu, however, said: "China's position on the Donglong (Dokalam) area is quite clear. Donglong always belonged to China and always under China's effective jurisdiction. There is no dispute in this regard," he said asserting Chinese sovereignty over the area which is also claimed by Bhutan.

"In order to patrol the border and improve the production and lives of border troops and residents, China has constructed infrastructure including roads in the Donglong (Dokalam) area," Lu said.

Asked about concerns that China is preparing for a second standoff at Dokalam area, Lu said that the Indian troops' intervention to stop building a key road close the Chicken Neck Corridor of India, has put the bilateral ties to severe test.

Indian and Chinese troops had been locked in a stand-off for over two months last year in the Dokalam area near Sikkim before "disengaging" on August 28.

In an apparent referent reference to Amy Chief General Bipin Rawat's recent remarks that Dokalam is a disputed territory between China and Bhutan, Lu said: "The Indian senior military officer has recognised that it was the Indian border troops who crossed the border".

"This incident has put bilateral relations to undergo a severe test. We hope the Indian side can learn lessons from this and avoid the incident to happen again," he said.

Recalling the summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Xiamen in September, Lu said "actually during the summit the two leaders has reached some consensus on improving bilateral relations and chartering the course for future development".

"We hope relevant parties can earnestly follow through on the consensus reached by the two leaders, move in the same direction and jointly uphold the peace and stability of the border areas and stay committed for the comprehensive development of bilateral relations," he said.

Meanwhile, Ministry of External Affairs has said that India is keeping a close vigil on the issue. 

PTI