China lodges protest with India, demands troops withdrawal

China on Tuesday said it had complained to India about Indian troops trespassing the Chinese boundary and asked it to withdraw them immediately.

Beijing also said the fate of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra depended on New Delhi.

"We have lodged solemn representation in Beijing and New Delhi to elaborate our solemn representation," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said.

"Our position to uphold our territorial sovereignty is unwavering and we hope that the Indian side can work with China in the same direction and take immediate actions to withdraw the personnel who have overstepped and trespassed into Chinese border," Lu said.

Asked about the remaining Indian pilgrims who want to travel to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet, Lu said it depends on how India handled the situation.

"I think this Indian side is clear about this as for a long time the Chinese government has taken enormous efforts to provide the necessary convenience for those Indian pilgrims.

"But recently Indian border personnel trespassed the Chinese border to obstruct our construction, so we have taken necessary actions out of security consideration.

"We have to put off the pilgrimage by the Indian pilgrims through the Chinese pass, so the upcoming actions, we have to depend on what the Indian side will do, we have to take actions to improve the security situation."

Indian and Chinese troops faced-off at the border in Sikkim, with both sides accusing the other of crossing their boundaries.

China has attributed the halt to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to the face-off.

--IANS

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