India must not flirt with disaster: Chinese state media

Warning India not to "flirt with disaster", state-run Chinese media on Wednesday said New Delhi would be foolish to underestimate Beijing's prowess to safeguard its soil and territory.

Describing the two-month long Doklam impasse as an unsettled border issue between China and Bhutan, Xinhua News agency asserted that, "It has nothing to do with India. China respects Bhutan as an independent sovereign state and resents India's attempt to turn it into a de facto protectorate."

The article further warned India, "India must not underestimate China. The People's Liberation Army was built to safeguard peace and to protect national sovereignty, security and development interests."

It charged New Delhi with double-standards in resolving the Doklam issue by not removing Indian troops from the area.

The article said, "Despite China's demonstrable goodwill, India has nothing but words. Its External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said India would "keep engaging with China to resolve the dispute," and "patience, control on comments and diplomacy can resolve problems. The truth is that India has not only failed to withdraw its troops, but continues to make eccentric demands and is not looking for a resolution."

Adding, "There are not many signs that India is seeking peace. If India is sincere about peace, its troops should never have invaded China in the first place, and ought to immediately and unconditionally get back to their own side of the border."

The agency also ruled out negotiation with India.

The commentary read, "The Indian side is deluded if it thinks that China is about to negotiate with an invading force while its national territorial integrity remains infringed indefinitely."

As per latest report, "China did not respond to India's suggestion in the talks that it move its troops back 250 metres (820 ft) in return."

According to Geo TV, "In the low-key diplomatic manoeuvres that took place outside the public eye, the Chinese countered with an offer to move back 100 metres (328 ft)."

Earlier, a former Indian diplomat had said that China's 15 pages 'Fact Sheet', titled "The Facts and China's Position Concerning the Indian Border Troops' Crossing of the China-India Boundary in the Sikkim Sector into the Chinese Territory" does not bring put anything new and significant

"The Fact Sheet is in furtherance of the false narrative of Indian intrusion into Chinese territory that has been projected in the Chinese media in a bid to divert public attention away from the real issue, which is, China's attempt to unilaterally alter the position on the ground in the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction area, in brazen violation of accords reached with it by India and Bhutan (separately) not to change the status quo in areas of dispute pending a final agreement to the mutual satisfaction of both parties," said former Ambassador Saurabh Kumar.