China has released a map showing the region in the Sikkim sector as its territory and to back its claims of Indian troops "trespassing" the Chinese boundary.

The map, released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry late on Friday evening, shows the far south of the region, the ownership of which is yet to be agreed between Bhutan and China.

The blue arrow shows Doka La pass where Indian troops "crossed the border".

The map shows Doka La - called by China - as part of

is at a tri-junction border of Bhutan, China, and India, where People's Liberation Army troops and the Indian Army faced off.

Bhutan has accused China of building a road in Donglong, which Thimphu says is part of its area.

China has rejected the claims and asked New Delhi to withdraw troops from the region.

India has said Beijing's action to "unilaterally determine tri-junction points" is in violation of a 2012 India-China agreement.

According to the agreement, the boundary will be decided by consulting all the concerned parties.

The release of the map comes as China has maintained that locals have been traditionally herding cattle in area, which it said is fact enough to prove that the region belongs to Beijing.

China was responding to the Bhutanese government's accusations against China of not respecting border agreements and constructing a road on the disputed territory located between the two countries.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said here on Friday: "We are exercising complete and comprehensive administration over the Doklam (Donglong) region and our border troops and the residents around the border are herding their cattle along this."

"This evidence is recognised by the Bhutan side," Lu added.

"From historical evidence, we can see that Doklam has been a traditional pasture for the Tibetan residents and we have exercised good administration over the area.

"Before the 1960s, if Bhutan residents around the border wanted to put their cattle they had to get the approval from China," Lu said citing Chinese history.

Beijing has asked New Delhi to withdraw troops, reiterating it as a precondition to settle an ongoing stand-off in India's Sikkim sector, where the two countries share a little over 200 km of border.

Following the face-off, China has suspended the pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet where Indians travel via Nathu La Pass, which is shut now.

In response, India on Friday said it has told China that the building of a road by Chinese troops in the region will have "serious security implications for India" and urged Beijing "not to change the status quo unilaterally".

"India is deeply concerned at the recent Chinese actions and has conveyed to the Chinese government that such construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for India," an External Affairs Ministry statement said in New Delhi.</s>The Foreign ministry of China has recently released a map claiming that Indian troops trespassed into its territory in Sikkim region which is currently in dispute with India and Bhutan’s perception of the boundaries in the region. In a report published by Hindustan Times, the map was posted by the Chinese section of foreign ministry on its website on Friday. “The map is especially different from the Indian perception of the Line of Actual Control in the depiction of the strategic tri-junction of India, Bhutan and China,” the report said.

The areas far south which is claimed in the map is what India says to be till Batang La, while Beijing has extended its claim to the territory till Mount Gipmochi. The situation get further complex with Bhutan’s claims. Both China and Bhutan have a territorial issue over the Dongland region where the current standoff began on June 16. The report also said that India has acknowledged on Friday that its troops has worked in sync with the Bhutan government to ask a Chinese construction party to desist from changing the current situation by constructing a road in the Dongland area. India and Bhutan have even asked China to maintain the status quo and New Delhi reasoned it by saying that the construction activity has serous security implications.

New Delhi has also stressed that any move to unilaterally determine tri-junction points violates the 2012 India-China agreement which was signed to finalise the boundary in this region in collaboration with all related countries. China, on the other hand, says that the Donglang area has been with it since ancient times.

“There is solid legal evidence to support the delimitation of the Sikkim section of the China-India boundary. It is stated in article one of the Convention Between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet (1890) that the boundary of Sikkim and Tibet shall be the crest of the mountain range separating the waters flowing into the Sikkim Teesta and its affluent from the waters flowing into the Tibetan Mochu and northwards into other rivers of Tibet,” Chinese media reported after the standoff in Sikkim began.

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“The line commences at Mount Gipmochi on the Bhutan frontier, and follows the above-mentioned water-parting to the point where it meets Nepal territory,” the report added. It also quoted the Chinese foreign ministry saying that the region where Indian border troops have trespassed belongs to their territory.</s>According to a UN report, around 1.2 billion people, or almost one fifth of the world’s population, live in areas where water is physically scarce and another 1.6 billion people, or nearly one quarter of the world’s population, face economic water shortage. They lack basic access to water. The criticality of the water situation across the world has in fact given rise to speculations over water wars becoming a distinct possibility in the future. In India the problem is compounded, given the rising population and urbanization. The Asian Development Bank has forecast that by 2030, India will have a water deficit of 50%.

For urban India, the situation is critical. In 2015, about 377 million Indians lived in urban areas and by 2030, the urban population is expected to rise to 590 million. Already, according to the National Sample Survey, only 47% of urban households have individual water connections and about 40% to 50% of water is reportedly lost in distribution systems due to various reasons. Further, as per the 2011 census, only 32.7% of urban Indian households are connected to a piped sewerage system.

Any comprehensive solution to address the water problem in urban India needs to take into account the specific challenges around water management and distribution:

Pressure on water sources: Rising demand on water means rising pressure on water sources, especially in cities. In a city like Mumbai for example, 3,750 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of water, including water for commercial and industrial use, is available, whereas 4,500 MLD is needed. The primary sources of water for cities like Mumbai are lakes created by dams across rivers near the city. Distributing the available water means providing 386,971 connections to the city’s roughly 13 million residents. When distribution becomes challenging, the workaround is to tap ground water. According to a study by the Centre for Science and Environment, 48% of urban water supply in India comes from ground water. Ground water exploitation for commercial and domestic use in most cities is leading to reduction in ground water level.

Distribution and water loss issues: Distribution challenges, such as water loss due to theft, pilferage, leaky pipes and faulty meter readings, result in unequal and unregulated distribution of water. In New Delhi, for example, water distribution loss was reported to be about 40% as per a study. In Mumbai, where most residents get only 2-5 hours of water supply per day, the non-revenue water loss is about 27% of the overall water supply. This strains the municipal body’s budget and impacts the improvement of distribution infrastructure. Factors such as difficult terrain and legal issues over buildings also affect water supply to many parts. According to a study, only 5% of piped water reaches slum areas in 42 Indian cities, including New Delhi. A 2011 study also found that 95% of households in slum areas in Mumbai’s Kaula Bunder district, in some seasons, use less than the WHO-recommended minimum of 50 litres per capita per day.

Water pollution and contamination: In India, almost 400,000 children die every year of diarrhea, primarily due to contaminated water. According to a 2017 report, 630 million people in the South East Asian countries, including India, use faeces-contaminated drinking water source, becoming susceptible to a range of diseases. Industrial waste is also a major cause for water contamination, particularly antibiotic ingredients released into rivers and soils by pharma companies. A Guardian report talks about pollution from drug companies, particularly those in India and China, resulting in the creation of drug-resistant superbugs. The report cites a study which indicates that by 2050, the total death toll worldwide due to infection by drug resistant bacteria could reach 10 million people.

Addressing these challenges and improving access to clean water for all needs a combination of short-term and medium-term solutions. It also means involving the community and various stakeholders in implementing the solutions. This is the crux of the recommendations put forth by BASF.

The proposed solutions, based on a study of water issues in cities such as Mumbai, take into account different aspects of water management and distribution. Backed by a close understanding of the cost implications, they can make a difference in tackling urban water challenges. These solutions include:

Recycling and harvesting: Raw sewage water which is dumped into oceans damages the coastal eco-system. Instead, this could be used as a cheaper alternative to fresh water for industrial purposes. According to a 2011 World Bank report, 13% of total freshwater withdrawal in India is for industrial use. What’s more, the industrial demand for water is expected to grow at a rate of 4.2% per year till 2025. Much of this demand can be met by recycling and treating sewage water. In Mumbai for example, 3000 MLD of sewage water is released, almost 80% of fresh water availability. This can be purified and utilised for industrial needs. An example of recycled sewage water being used for industrial purpose is the 30 MLD waste water treatment facility at Gandhinagar and Anjar in Gujarat set up by Welspun India Ltd.

Another example is the proposal by Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) to recycle and reclaim sewage water treated at its existing facilities to meet the secondary purposes of both industries and residential complexes. In fact, residential complexes can similarly recycle and re-use their waste water for secondary purposes such as gardening.

Also, alternative rain water harvesting methods such as harvesting rain water from concrete surfaces using porous concrete can be used to supplement roof-top rain water harvesting, to help replenish ground water.

Community initiatives to supplement regular water supply: Initiatives such as community water storage and decentralised treatment facilities, including elevated water towers or reservoirs and water ATMs, based on a realistic understanding of the costs involved, can help support the city’s water distribution. Water towers or elevated reservoirs with onsite filters can also help optimise the space available for water distribution in congested cities. Water ATMs, which are automated water dispensing units that can be accessed with a smart card or an app, can ensure metered supply of safe water.

Testing and purification: With water contamination being a big challenge, the adoption of affordable and reliable multi-household water filter systems which are electricity free and easy to use can help, to some extent, access to safe drinking water at a domestic level. Also, the use of household water testing kits and the installation of water quality sensors on pipes, that send out alerts on water contamination, can create awareness of water contamination and drive suitable preventive steps.

Public awareness and use of technology: Public awareness campaigns, tax incentives for water conservation and the use of technology interfaces can also go a long way in addressing the water problem. For example, measures such as water credits can be introduced with tax benefits as incentives for efficient use and recycling of water. Similarly, government water apps, like that of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, can be used to spread tips on water saving, report leakage or send updates on water quality.

Collaborative approach: Finally, a collaborative approach like the adoption of a public-private partnership model for water projects can help. There are already examples of best practices here. For example, in Netherlands, water companies are incorporated as private companies, with the local and national governments being majority shareholders. Involving citizens through social business models for decentralised water supply, treatment or storage installations like water ATMs, as also the appointment of water guardians who can report on various aspects of water supply and usage can help in efficient water management. Grass-root level organizations could be partnered with for programmes to spread awareness on water safety and conservation.

For BASF, the proposed solutions are an extension of their close engagement with developing water management and water treatment solutions. The products developed specially for waste and drinking water treatment, such as Zetag® ULTRA and Magnafloc® LT, focus on ensuring sustainability, efficiency and cost effectiveness in the water and sludge treatment process.

BASF is also associated with operations of Reliance Industries’ desalination plant at Jamnagar in Gujarat.The thermal plant is designed to deliver up to 170,000 cubic meters of processed water per day. The use of inge® ultrafiltration technologies allows a continuous delivery of pre-filtered water at a consistent high-quality level, while the dosage of the Sokalan® PM 15 I protects the desalination plant from scaling. This combination of BASF’s expertise minimises the energy footprint of the plant and secures water supply independent of the seasonal fluctuations. To know more about BASF’s range of sustainable solutions and innovative chemical products for the water industry, see here.

This article was produced by the Scroll marketing team on behalf of BASF and not by the Scroll editorial team.</s>China has released a map to back its claim that Indian troops "transgressed" into the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector, which it claims as part of its territory.

In the map, released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, a blue arrow with markings in Chinese points Indian troops alleged transgression into the area to prevent the PLA troops from building a strategic road.

Bhutan has protested to China asserting that the area is part of its territory and Chinese action is vocative of 1988 and 1998 agreements.

The map is in addition to two photographs released on Thursday purportedly showing Indian troops on the Chinese side of the border.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang displayed the photographs of the alleged Indian "incursion" into the area during a media briefing.

Later, the ministry uploaded them on its website. One photo showed two bulldozers stated to be that of the Indian military while another showed one bulldozer. A redline in the photos was showed as "Chinese side of the border".

A standoff erupted between the two militaries after the Indian Army blocked construction of the road by China in the Doklam area.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.

China alleged that the Indian troops "trespassed" the recognised delineated boundary between China and India on June 18.

India on Friday expressed deep concern over China constructing the road in the disputed area and said it had conveyed to Beijing that such an action would represent a significant change of status quo with "serious" security implications for India.

India's reaction follows a face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the area, prompting Beijing to take a tough stance and demand withdrawal of Indian troops from the Sikkim sector as a precondition for "meaningful dialogue" to resolve the situation.

The stand-off between the Indian and Chinese troops led to the cancellation of the Kailash Mansarovar yatra through Nathu La in Sikkim.</s>U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands while walking at Mar-a-Lago estate after a bilateral meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 7, 2017.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China reacted relatively calmly on Friday after a series of diplomatic broadsides by the United States, expressing anger over new arms sales by Washington to Taiwan but hoping ties could soon be brought back on track.

U.S. officials have said President Donald Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with China over its inability to restrain North Korea's arms and missile programmes.

This week, the United States imposed sanctions on two Chinese citizens and a shipping company for helping North Korea's weapons programmes, announced a $1.4 billion arms sale for Taiwan, and said it would like sick Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo to be treated "elsewhere".

It has also placed China on its global list of the worst offenders in human trafficking and forced labour and senior U.S. officials have told Reuters that Washington is considering trade actions against Beijing, including tariffs on steel imports.

Trump met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday at the White House and made a point of noting that the United States, India and Japan would be joining together in naval exercises soon in the Indian Ocean, a point that seemed aimed at China.

It's a long way from the "bromance" that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared to have at their first summit in April. Trump had made a grand gesture of his desire for warm ties in the meeting at his Florida residence and subsequently called Xi a "good man".

While China said it was "outraged" at the arms sales for Taiwan, and upset with the North Korea-related sanctions, it did not make specific threats of retaliation. In 2010, Beijing threatened to sanction U.S. firms that sell weapons to Taiwan after Washington announced a much bigger $6.4 billion arms package.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said he hoped the United States can correct its mistakes and get ties back on track "so as to avoid cooperation in important areas being impacted". He did not elaborate.

Jia Qingguo, dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University and who has advised the government on foreign policy, cautioned against interpreting recent events as indicating a shift in China-U.S. relations, saying it was still too early to tell.

"We had a good first summit and a good beginning but the relationship in the long run is characterised by not just cooperation but also conflict," Jia said.

"Arms sales to Taiwan, the South China Sea and East China Sea, and other problems in the relationship will appear. It's a question of how much the two countries will be able to manage these conflicts, whether they can manage them better than the previous administration."

Trump and Xi are expected to meet next week on the sidelines of a G20 summit in the Germany city of Hamburg.

China has long been cautious about Trump, China-based diplomatic sources say, believing he is unpredictable and needs to be handled with care.

"How does the Chinese government view Trump? We're still discovering who he is. He often does things we can't predict. We're not clever enough to predict what he'll do," said Shen Dingli, a professor at Shanghai's elite Fudan University.

Trump upset China even before taking office, taking a call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, overturning decades of precedent of no high-level official contacts between the United States and an island China considers to be a wayward province.

While China has worked hard to get Trump to understand the importance of Taiwan to the China-U.S. relationship, it has never seriously expected Washington to stop selling it weapons, provision for which is explicitly made in U.S. law.

"The U.S. selling weapons to Taiwan is routine," said Shen. "They're selling much less than before, and that's much better. So I don't think there's anything too terrible about that."

Still, the risks around Taiwan are profound.

China's Defence Ministry, responding to the U.S. weapons sales, said Taiwan was the "most important, most sensitive core issue" between the United States and China.

The arms sale came hot on the heels of a U.S. Senate committee approving a bill calling for the resumption of port visits to Taiwan by the U.S. Navy for the first time since Washington ditched Taipei and established ties with Beijing in 1979.

While China's Defence Ministry registered its opposition to the bill on Thursday, spokesman Wu Qian pointed out that as long as they respect each other's core concerns, the Chinese and U.S. militaries can be an "engine of stability" for the two countries.

Shi Yinhong, who heads the Centre for American Studies at Beijing's Renmin University and has advised the government on diplomacy, said it was important people are realistic about the challenges China and the United States face.

"Perhaps people appraised too highly the Xi-Trump meeting. Although the atmosphere was very good, there were still real problems there," Shi said, referring to the Florida summit.

"Maybe you can say that China-U.S. relations have gone back to being normal," Shi added. "Trump has no patience, and nobody can be surprised that he's pushed certain issues to the fore."</s>The stand-off on a plateau next to the mountainous Indian state of Sikkim, which borders China, has ratcheted up tension between the two neighbouring giants, who share a 3,500 km (2175 miles) frontier, parts of which are disputed.

According to the Chinese interpretation of events, Indian guards crossed into China's Donglang region early in June and obstructed work on a road on a plateau.

Troops from the two sides then confronted each other close to a strategic valley controlled by China that separates India from Bhutan and gives China access to the so-called Chicken's Neck, a thin strip of land that connects India to its remote northeastern regions.

Bhutan said on Thursday that the road was being built inside its territory.

Indian media have reported that the dispute began when China removed an old Indian bunker.

"India is deeply concerned at the recent Chinese actions and has conveyed to the Chinese Government that such construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for India," India's ministry of external affairs said in a statement.

"It is essential that all parties concerned display utmost restraint and abide by their respective bilateral understandings not to change the status quo unilaterally," the ministry said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the road work was going on in an area that was on the Chinese not Bhutanese side.

China and Bhutan have yet to reach a final agreement on demarking their border.</s>China has released a map to back its claim that Indian troops “transgressed” into the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector, which it claims as part of its territory. In the map, released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, a blue arrow with markings in Chinese points Indian troops alleged transgression into the area to prevent the PLA troops from building a strategic road. The map shows Doklam as part of Chinese territory. Bhutan has protested to China asserting that the area is part of its territory and Chinese action is vocative of 1988 and 1998 agreements. The map is in addition to two photographs released on Thursday purportedly showing Indian troops on the Chinese side of the border. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang displayed the photographs of the alleged Indian “incursion” into the area during a media briefing.

Later, the ministry uploaded them on its website. One photo showed two bulldozers stated to be that of the Indian military while another showed one bulldozer. A redline in the photos was showed as “Chinese side of the border”. A standoff erupted between the two militaries after the Indian Army blocked construction of the road by China in the Doklam area. Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim. China alleged that the Indian troops “trespassed” the recognised delineated boundary between China and India on June 18.

India on Friday expressed deep concern over China constructing the road in the disputed area and said it had conveyed to

 Beijing that such an action would represent a significant change of status quo with “serious” security implications for India. India’s reaction follows a face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the area, prompting Beijing to take a tough stance and demand withdrawal of Indian troops from the Sikkim sector as a precondition for “meaningful dialogue” to resolve the situation. The stand-off between the Indian and Chinese troops led to the cancellation of the Kailash Mansarovar yatra through Nathu La in Sikkim.</s>China has released a map showing the Donglong region in the Sikkim sector as its territory and to back its claims of Indian troops “trespassing” the Chinese boundary. The map, released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry late on Friday evening, shows the Chinese territory far south of the Donglong region, the ownership of which is yet to be agreed between Bhutan and China. The blue arrow shows Doka La pass where Indian troops “crossed the border”.

China alleges Indian troops crossed the border on June 18. The map shows Doka La – called Donglong by China – as part of Chinese territory. Donglong is at a tri-junction border of Bhutan, China, and India, where People’s Liberation Army troops and the Indian Army faced off.

Bhutan has accused China of building a road in Donglong, which Thimphu says is part of its area. China has rejected the claims and asked New Delhi to withdraw troops from the region. India has said Beijing’s action to “unilaterally determine tri-junction points” is in violation of a 2012 India-China agreement.

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According to the agreement, the boundary will be decided by consulting all the concerned parties. The release of the map comes as China has maintained that locals have been traditionally herding cattle in Donglong area, which it said is fact enough to prove that the region belongs to Beijing. China was responding to the Bhutanese government’s accusations against China of not respecting border agreements and constructing a road on the disputed territory located between the two countries.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said here on Friday: “We are exercising complete and comprehensive administration over the Doklam (Donglong) region and our border troops and the residents around the border are herding their cattle along this.”

“This evidence is recognised by the Bhutan side,” Lu added. “From historical evidence, we can see that Doklam has been a traditional pasture for the Tibetan residents and we have exercised good administration over the area. “Before the 1960s, if Bhutan residents around the border wanted to put their cattle they had to get the approval from China,” Lu said citing Chinese history.

Beijing has asked New Delhi to withdraw troops, reiterating it as a precondition to settle an ongoing stand-off in India’s Sikkim sector, where the two countries share a little over 200 km of border. Following the face-off, China has suspended the pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet where Indians travel via Nathu La Pass, which is shut now. In response, India on Friday said it has told China that the building of a road by Chinese troops in the Donglong region will have “serious security implications for India” and urged Beijing “not to change the status quo unilaterally”. “India is deeply concerned at the recent Chinese actions and has conveyed to the Chinese government that such construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for India,” an External Affairs Ministry statement said in New Delhi.</s>China had mentioned that Donglang is being considered in their territory since “ancient times”. (Photo: China's Foreign Ministry)

Beijing: Amid standoff in Sikkim, China on Tuesday released a map to support its claim that Indian troops entered their territory; only to reveal that the territory quoted is actually under contention.

According to a Hindustan Times report, the picture released by Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ku Lang showing India troopers’ ‘incursion’ in China, is basically a territory claimed by both India and Bhutan. The map which China has posted on their foreign ministry website is also far different from the Indian perception of Line of Actual Control (LoAC) between India, China and Bhutan.

Of the ‘trespassed’ area quoted by China, India has claims on land till Batang La, whereas China asserted that their territory is till Mount Gipmochi. The situation becomes more intricate with Bhutan’s claims. Historically, Bhutan and China have a dispute over the area, Donglang or Doklam. However, China had mentioned that Donglang is being considered in their territory since “ancient times”.

The situation worsened when China started constructing a road near Sikkim Sector. India reacted by saying that any such move to “unilaterally determine tri-junction points” violates a 2012 India-China agreement. It further said that the boundary in the region should be finalised after consulting with all concerned countries.

New Delhi, maintaining its stance over border dispute, noted that Indian troops in co-ordination with Bhutan had asked Chinese government to “desist from changing the status quo” by building a road in Donglang area.

Reiterating their claims, Chinese state media earlier had said that there is solid legal evidence to prove that Indian troops trespassed in their territory.

“It is stated in Article one of the Convention Between Great Britain and China relating Sikkim and Tibet (1890) that ‘the boundary of Sikkim and Tibet shall be the crest of the mountain range separating the waters flowing into the Sikkim Teesta and its affluents from the waters flowing into the Tibetan Mochu and northwards into other rivers of Tibet”, said Chinese state media quoting a report.

The HT report further added that the Chinese state media claimed that the line commences at Mount Gipmochi on the Bhutan frontier, and follows the above-mentioned water-parting to the point where it meets Nepal territory.

China had asked Indian soldiers to ‘leave their territory’ for dialogue to ensue. It had also asked India to learn from history referring to 1962 Sino-India war over Arunachal Pradesh.

However, this is not the first time China has claimed India’s portion to be their territory as, in 2013, China carried out an incursion on Indo-China border near Arunachal Pradesh.</s>China has released a map to back its claim that Indian troops "transgressed" into the disputed Doklam area of the Sikkim sector, days after releasing photographs of alleged Indian incursion into the area, which it claims as part of Chinese territory.

In the map, released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry last night, a blue arrow with markings in Chinese, points Indian troops alleged "transgression" into the area to prevent the PLA troops from building a road.

The map shows Doklam, a disputed territory between China and Bhutan, as part of Chinese territory.

In an unprecedented move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang on Thursday displayed two photographs of the alleged Indian "incursion" into the area during a media briefing.

Later, the ministry uploaded two photographs on its website. One photo showed two bulldozers stated to be that of the Indian military while another showed one bulldozer. A redline in the photos was showed as "Chinese side of the border".

A standoff erupted between the two militaries after the Indian Army blocked construction of the road by China in the disputed Doklam area.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.

China alleged that the Indian troops "trespassed" the recognised delineated boundary between China and India on June 18.

India yesterday expressed deep concern over China constructing the road in the disputed area and said it had conveyed to Beijing that such an action would represent a significant change of status quo with "serious" security implications for India.

India's reaction follows a face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the area, prompting Beijing to take a tough stance and demand withdrawal of Indian troops from the Sikkim sector as a precondition for "meaningful dialogue" to resolve the situation.

The stand-off between the Indian and Chinese troops led to the cancellation of the Kailash Mansarovar yatra through Nathu La in Sikkim.
Amid growing tensions between China and India and Bhutan, China releases a map detailing pieces of land claimed by Bhutan and India as belonging to China. China claims, via the map, that territory up until Gipmochi belongs to China and claims it's supported by the 1890 Convention of Calcutta.