China warns India against harboring illusions about border tensions.

China says India should not harbor illusions about border tensions, stating that Beijing's defense capabilities have been "continuously strengthened."

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian. Photo: SCMP.

"Shaking a mountain is easy, but making the People's Liberation Army (PLA) tremble is very difficult," Reuters quoted Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian as saying today. He warned that the PLA's ability to defend Chinese territory and sovereignty is "continuously strengthening."

Tensions between China and India began when, under cover of darkness on June 8, a PLA platoon silently advanced into the Doklam plateau, located between the Chinese and Bhutanese borders, dismantling bunkers that the Bhutanese royal army had built years earlier for border patrols.

On June 16, a Chinese engineering unit entered Doklam to build a road across the plateau, but encountered resistance from the Bhutanese army. The Chinese soldiers refused to withdraw, forcing Bhutan to seek Indian assistance. Two days later, approximately 300-400 Indian soldiers entered Doklam, blocking the Chinese engineering unit.

Soldiers from both countries then confronted each other near a valley separating India and Bhutan, which is controlled by China. This valley allows China access to the area known as the Chicken Neck, a narrow strip of land connecting India and remote areas in the northeast of the country.

India's withdrawal of border guards is a prerequisite for resolving the situation, Ngo said. "India should not leave things to chance and harbor unrealistic illusions." The PLA has taken emergency measures in the region and continues to focus on deployments and exercises.

Mr. Ngo called on India to take "practical steps to correct its mistakes, stop provocations, and work with China to safeguard peace in the border region."

Indian officials said around 300 soldiers were facing each other in a 150-meter-long area. Diplomats from both countries held quiet talks to ensure tensions did not escalate. The Indian ambassador to China is leading efforts to find a way for both sides to de-escalate without losing face.

Chinese media warned that India would face a fate worse than the defeat it suffered in the 1962 border war. Chinese media also reported that the PLA conducted live-fire exercises near the disputed area in July, but did not specify the time or location.

According to VNE