Q: On August 2, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released 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. For what reasons did the Chinese side release this document? Why was the document released at this moment?

A: On June 18, the Indian border troops illegally crossed the Sikkim Sector of the China-India boundary and entered the Chinese territory. Now the Indian border troops still illegally stay in the Chinese territory. Since the outbreak of the incident, the Chinese side has made serious representations with the Indian side through diplomatic channels for multiple times to strongly condemn the illegal trespass by the Indian side and demand the Indian side to abide by the historical boundary convention and immediately and unconditionally withdraw the trespassing Indian border troops back to the Indian side of the boundary. China has shown great restraint. However, instead of taking concrete actions to correct its wrongdoing, the Indian side invented all sorts of untenable excuses to justify the illegal trespass of its border troops.

The China-India boundary in the Sikkim Sector has already been delimited by the 1890 Convention Between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet and it is a defined sector of the boundary that is recognized by both the Chinese and Indian governments. This is an undeniable fact. What India has done violates the 1890 Convention and the delimited China-India boundary established therein and contravenes the basic principles of international law and the basic norms governing international relations. This not only severely violates China's territorial sovereignty but also poses grave challenges to regional peace and stability and normal international order, which will not be tolerated by any sovereign State.

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 released by China aims 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. By doing so, China is committed to not only defending its territorial sovereignty but also safeguarding the basic principles of international law and the basic norms governing international relations and upholding justice and righteousness. The Chinese side is convinced that the right cannot be wronged and justice will prevail.