Amid Sikkim standoff, Chinese media warns India of all-out confrontation, says Beijing is battle ready

Beijing: China is battle ready and not afraid to go to war with India, and will face “all-out confrontation” along the entire disputed border, a Chinese daily warned on Tuesday. [caption id=“attachment_3814801” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] An article in the state-run Global Times said China must deploy more troops along the border with India and speed up road construction in Doklam where the two sides have been engaged in a month-long standoff. The stand-off began when Indian troops stopped Chinese soldiers from building a road in Doklam, an area disputed by China and Bhutan. “China doesn’t fear going to war to safeguard sovereignty either, and will make itself ready for a long-term confrontation”, a commentary by Duo Mu said. “China must be prepared for future conflicts and confrontation. China can take further countermeasures along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). If India stirs up conflicts in several spots, it must face the consequence of an all-out confrontation with China along the entire LAC”. “The 3,500-km border has never been short of disputes. Since the 1962 border war, the Indian side has repeatedly made provocations”, Duo said. China and India have a 3,488-km border, of which 220 km falls in the Sikkim sector where Doklam is situated. Doklam is at a tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan. China calls Doklam its own, a claim contested by India and Bhutan who cite the pending ownership of the territory. The commentary comes after the People’s Liberation Army conducted a live-fire drill in Tibet, which borders India. “According to the Indian media, Indian troops are stationed at the border area and have set up logistical support. They even claim that India will continue the confrontation with China at the Sikkim section of the China-India border until the Chinese troops withdraw”. “In response, China must continue strengthening border construction and speed up troop deployment and construction in the Doklam area. These are legitimate actions of a sovereign country”. “If India plans to devote more resources in the border area, then so be it. China can engage in a competition with India over economic and military resources deployment in the border area. With growing national strength, China is capable of deploying resources in remote border areas”. “As the confrontation goes on, China needs to get ready for the face-off becoming a long-term situation and at the same time needs to maintain a sense of rationality”.