Doklam an old page, Pakistan as good a neighbour as India: China

NEW DELHI: A day after Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said China has reduced its troops in Arunachal Pradesh, a top Chinese official claimed that Doklam is now an old chapter. 

Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Consul General of People's Republic of China Ma Zhanwu said, “Regarding Doklam, I think it is an old page, we are hoping to work together with India to turn a new page of further growth and development of the bilateral relationship including the field of economy and trade.” 

Underplaying China's relationship with Pakistan, Zhanwu added, “It is simplistic to say that China is supporting Pakistan. I would say that China has good relationship with Pakistan as we do with many other countries, including India. Right now we have good relationship with India.”

On Monday, General Rawat said that the transgression incident in Arunachal Pradesh has been resolved. “Tuting incident has been resolved,” said General Rawat.

On December 26, 2017, a Chinese road construction group entered India, and started constructing a track, around two kilometres away from the nearest Indo-Tibetan Border Police post. 

The track was nearly 600-metre-long and 12-feet wide when the construction was stopped.

The Chinese labourers had entered the area inadvertently, according to a government report on the incident. The Chinese People`s Liberation Army (PLA) troops were not involved in the incident.

Indian troops pushed back the labourers and seized their equipment.

The incident came nearly four months after the end of the Dokalam standoff that went on from June 16 to August 28, 2017.