China planting misinformation: Defence expert on Beijing's claims on Indian troops

New Delhi: With China claiming that the number of Indian border troops has considerably reduced along the disputed Doklam Plateau, defence expert PK Sehgal on Thursday accused Beijing of planting misinformation to impress the citizens of their country.

"The entire world knows that China is the master in planting false information. It`s also very clear that China shares border with 14 countries and has some or the other dispute with each of them. They gave the statement just to impress the people of their own country," Sehgal told ANI.

He said that China is making such statements just to inform the citizen of their country that they have succeeded in controlling India, but Indians have also made it clear that we are standing tall on this issue.

"China just wants to showcase its power to the world and make them believe that they are not scared of any country," he said.

Earlier, India rebutted China claims, saying that there has been no reduction in the number of Indian troops along the disputed Doklam Plateau, where Indian and Chinese soldiers have been involved in a stand-off.

The document released by the Chinese media claimed that 270 Indian soldiers crossed into the plateau which China considers its own, on June 16.

However, as of the end of July, there were still over 40 Indian border troops staying in `Chinese territory`.

On July 2, China emphatically rejected India`s interference in its ongoing boundary dispute with Bhutan in the Doklam area and again urged New Delhi to withdraw unconditionally and end the nearly two-month long stand-off.

China alleged that India`s intrusion into its territory under the pretext of defending Bhutan`s territorial claims has not only violated Beijing`s territorial sovereignty but also challenged Bhutan`s sovereignty and independence.

Indian and Chinese troops continue to be locked in a standoff in Doklam and both sides have moved additional troops, ammunition and military equipment to the area.

The stand-off emerged after Chinese troops were stopped by the Indian Army from constructing roads along the Doklam border.

India claims Sikkim border as part of its territory, while China has said that the area falls on their side as per the 1890 treaty signed between British and China.

Consequently, China suspended the annual Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and conceded that the decision to suspend the pilgrimage was due to the border scuffle.

It also alleged that the Indian troops had crossed the Sikkim sector of the Indo-China border.

Beijing has accused New Delhi of violating a convention signed in 1890 between Britain and China relating to Sikkim and Tibet.