Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that Chinese personnel completed the on-site check around 2:30 p.m., adding that China will continue to safeguard its territorial sovereignty according to historical boundary treaties.

 

The Chinese government values its neighborly friendship with India, Hua said. It expects India to respect historical boundary treaties and basic principles of international law, and to work with China to safeguard peace and stability in the border area on the basis of mutual respect of each other's territorial sovereignty.

 

On June 18, more than 270 armed Indian troops with two bulldozers crossed the boundary in the Sikkim sector and advanced more than 100 meters into Chinese territory to obstruct routine road construction in the Dong Lang area of Tibet Autonomous Region.

 

Hua said since the Indian trespass occurred, China has lodged representations to India through diplomatic means on multiple instances. It has explained the situation to the international community, and urged India to immediately withdraw its border troops to the Indian side of the boundary. Meanwhile, Chinese troops have taken effective measures to safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and lawful interests.

 

Dong Lang, which borders India's Sikkim state to the west and the Kingdom of Bhutan to the south, is part of Chinese territory and has been under Chinese rule for a very long time.

 

According to the Convention between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet (1890), the area undoubtedly belongs to China. The agreement was inherited by India after its independence and has been repeatedly confirmed in writing by successive governments of the former British colony.