This photograph, released by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday, shows the Indian border troops’ continuing illegal trespass into Chinese territory. — Xinhua

CHINA yesterday accused India of concocting excuses over the illegal entry of its military into Chinese territory, adding that China had shown great restraint over the incident.

The stand-off on a plateau next to the mountainous Indian state of Sikkim, which borders China, has increased tensions between the neighbors, who share a frontier that is 3,500 kilometers long.

Early in June, Indian guards crossed into China’s Doklam region and obstructed work on a road on the plateau.

The two sides’ troops then confronted each other close to a Chinese valley that separates India from its close ally Bhutan.

China’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the Indian military was still in Chinese territory, and that China had acted with a great deal of restraint, demanding that India withdraw its forces.

“But the Indian side not only has not taken any actual steps to correct its mistake, it has concocted all sorts of reasons, that don’t have a leg to stand on, to make up excuses for the Indian military’s illegal crossing of the border,” it said.

The ministry reiterated that the border had been agreed in 1890 by the governments of China and Britain, India’s colonial ruler until 1947, and later with the Indian government.

India’s actions are not only a serious encroachment of Chinese territory, but a challenge to regional peace and stability and normal international order, it added.

Indian officials have previously said that about 300 soldiers from either side are facing each other about 150 meters apart on the plateau.

China’s foreign ministry said that at one point there were more than 400 Indians on Chinese territory, who had advanced over 180 meters into China.

As of late last month, there were still more than 40 Indian border troops and one bulldozer on Chinese territory, it added.

“Since the incident broke out, India has invented various excuses to justify its illegal action, but its arguments have no factual or legal grounds at all and are simply untenable,” the ministry said.

China released a position document on the incursion yesterday.

The document titled “The Facts and China’s Position Concerning the Indian Border Troops’ Crossing of the China-India Boundary in the Sikkim Sector into the Chinese Territory” was in four parts with three appendices.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China released the document to “lay out the facts and truth of the illegal trespass of the Indian border troops to the international community and give a full account of the position of the Chinese government.”

“What India has done not only severely violates China’s territorial sovereignty but also poses grave challenges to regional peace and stability and the normal international order, which will not be tolerated by any sovereign state,” Geng said.

According to the document, more than 270 Indian border troops crossed the boundary in the Sikkim section of the China-India border, entering Chinese territory and obstructing road building by the Chinese side on June 18.