China dismisses reports of incursions into Indian territory

China has a consistent stand on the Sino-India boundary issue, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu told a news briefing here, replying to a question about reports in a section of India media alleging incursions by the Chinese troops.

"China and India are committed to solving boundary issue through negotiations... but before the settlement of the boundary issue there should be joint efforts to safeguard peace and tranquility on the boundary," she said.

"Our activities along the boundary area have been consistent with the above principles. Our patrol along the border will never cross border to other countries," she said.

Asked whether there was any case of incursion by either side since January this year, Jiang said "I think China and India have important consensus on retaining tranquility on the border and we have been acting accordingly over the past few years."

"We would like to make joint efforts with India to maintain tranquility along the border," she said. According to latest reports in Indian media on the Chinese intrusions, at least three incursions by motorized armed patrols of the People's Liberation Army in the strategically-located Trig Heights and Pangong Tso lake were recorded during last week.

The two countries have set up a mechanism to discuss the dispute along their 3500-km long border, in which the Indian side is headed by its National Security Adviser while China is represented by its State Councillor.

India says China is illegally occupying 43,180 sq kms of Jammu and Kashmir, including 5,180 sq km illegally ceded to Beijing by Islamabad under the Sino-Pakistan boundary agreement in 1963. On the other hand, China accuses India of possessing some 90,000 sq km of Chinese territory, mostly in Arunachal Pradesh.