China says no Indian airspace violation, calls for peace on border

A day after India said it will take up the alleged violation of its airspace by two Chinese helicopters, China on Tuesday denied any incursion while calling for peace on the border.

Reacting to the alleged incursion by the People's Liberation Army helicopters, the Defence Ministry said media reports "do not match the facts".

"The Chinese Army carried out routine training activities on the side of the Sino-Indian border control line. Media reports do not match the facts," it said.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry called for peace and stability along the border. "I think we should communicate and coordinate with each other through the border consultation mechanism to uphold peace and stability across the border," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying.

"I want to reiterate that China and India have disputes on their border. Chinese patrol guards have also conducted patrols," she added.

On Monday, China defended the incursion, saying Beijing could patrol in the disputed area.

Describing the flight by the choppers as "unacceptable", India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that New Delhi will take up the matter with Beijing.

The two Chinese military choppers were sighted hovering over Barahoti in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Saturday.

Since March this year, there have been four such incursions into Indian airspace.

Barahoti was designated as disputed area by both China and India in 1958.

It was agreed that neither side would send troops into the area, which is a sloping pasture.

--IANS

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