Sikkim standoff: India 'trampling' upon Panchsheel pact, dispute can hit boundary talks, warns China

China on Wednesday again sought to play up the border standoff, hinting the impasse along India's northeastern frontier in Sikkim could hit the dialogue process put in place to resolve the boundary question.

Indian troops were "still standing in the Chinese territory" and they would have to withdraw for the situation in Donglang to be resolved, China said, accusing New Delhi of "trampling" upon the Panchsheel pact, or the "five principles of peaceful existence".

"...This incident we believe violates the spirit upheld by the SRs (special representatives) mechanism," ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said, referring to the talks the two sides have been holding since 2003 to resolve the contentious border dispute.

The 19th round of talks was held last year in Beijing.

China again accused Indian troops of trespassing into Doklam, which the Chinese refer to as Donglang, a disputed territory on the China-Bhutan-India trijunction. Beijing claims it to be Chinese territory but Bhutan disputes it.

"If the



Indian-side refuses to correct its mistakes in a timely fashion, how is it supposed to win trust of its neighbours and how it is supposed to play a bigger role in international affairs?" Geng said.

India was "misleading" its citizens by saying Doklam was located at the tri-junction, he said, adding Indian soldiers had "entered the Chinese side of the delimited boundary between China and India in Sikkim section which is serious".

"...The Indian side has trampled on the basic norms of international relations that were proposed by itself by illegally crossing into others' territory," he said, referring to the Panchsheel pact between China, India, and Myanmar.

For more than three weeks, border guards of the two countries are in a tense face-off, the longest between the two sides, in Doklam following allegations and counter allegations of trespass and illegal construction of roads and bunkers.

The Chinese government and state-controlled media have held India responsible and have been issuing statements almost every day.