India should have ‘learnt lessons’ from Doklam stand-off: China

India’s envoy had blamed China for the stand-off in Doklam saying it happened because Beijing tried to alter the “status quo” which it should not have.

Asserting that Doklam belongs to it, China on Monday said India should have “learnt lessons” from the stand-off last year, days after India’s envoy blamed China for the face-off. “Donglong (Doklam) belongs to China because we have historical conventions,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying on being asked about India’s Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale’s remarks that the standoff happened because Beijing tried to alter the “status quo” in the disputed area.

“China’s activities there are within our sovereign rights. There is no such thing as changing status quo,” she said at a media briefing here.

“Last year thanks to our concerted efforts and our wisdom we properly resolved this issue. We hope the Indian side could learn some lessons from this and stick to the historical conventions and work with China to ensure the atmosphere in the border areas is conducive for the development of bilateral ties,” she said.