India 'slapping its own face' with a new road project in Ladakh, says China

China on Thursday slammed India for its plans to build a new road near Pangong lake in the Ladakh sector.

"It seems that the Indian side is slapping its own face," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said after reports surfaced that India was building a 20 km road between Marsimik La and Hot Spring in Ladakh near Pangong Lake along the LAC - the site of a recent scuffle between Indian and Chinese troops.

Once constructed, the 32.9-km standalone road will give security forces access to remote areas in the east Ladakh region, which has earlier witnessed aggression from Chinese forces. India and China have a dispute over the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector of Ladakh.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the new road project is “in complete contradiction to its deeds in terms of the border issues”. 

“The current road construction in that area by the Indian side is not conducive to peace and stability in that area. It will not help with settlement of the current situation.The Indian side is closely following China’s road-building recently but India’s actions themselves have proven that the Indian side says something and does another,” Hua said. 

This comes amidst the two-month stand-off in the Doklam area near the Sikkim border between the Indian and Chinese troops after India objected to Chinese attempts to build a road. India perceived the Chinese road construction in Doklam a threat to the country.

Both Beijing and New Delhi have blamed each other for the military stand-off at Doklam.