China seeks to play down border issue; offers more talks

China today sought to play down its incursions into Indian territory across the Aksai Chin border in the upper Himalaya, saying favourable conditions should be created for the two countries to solve the issue through consultation.

At separate media briefings, officials of China's foreign ministry and defence ministry maintained that the People's Liberation Army had not intruded into India and had not caused any "provocation".

Asking the media to be patient, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, "We also believe that the two sides continue to solve the issue in a friendly manner and we will not let the issue affect border peace and security and normal development of China-India relations.

"We hope relevant media can keep patience and create favourable conditions for the two countries to solve this issue through friendly consultations."

China's defence ministry also sought to rebut reports that PLA troops and aircraft had ventured across the long-established Line of Actual Control. Spokesperson Yang Yujun said that media reports on Chinese border troops, military planes and helicopters crossing the line of actual control are "not true".

Yang told the media in Beijing that Chinese and Indian border troops are maintaining communications through existing channels to resolve the issue.

"I do not agree with your (India's) allegation that it is the Chinese side that has caused the provocation between the border troops. China's troops have never crossed the (LAC) line. China and India are neighbours and the boundary is not demarcated yet. It is inevitable for problems to crop up in border areas. When there is a problem it should be resolved through friendly consultations though existing mechanisms and channels," Yang said.