In a fresh attack, China has reacted sharply after 44 new bridges near the borders were opened by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, saying it “does not recognize the Ladakh Union Territory” and opposes infrastructure building by India in the region.

“First I want to make it clear that China does not recognise the Ladakh Union Territory illegally set up by the Indian side and the Arunachal Pradesh. We stand against the development of infrastructure facilities aimed at military contention along the border area,” said the Chinese spokesperson.

Zhao Lijian, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, also called border infrastructure development “the root cause for the tension between the two sides” and said neither side should take action that might escalate tension.

“Based on consensus, neither should take actions along the border that might escalate the situation that is to avoid undermining the efforts by the two sides to ease the situation.”

“We urge the Indian side to earnestly implement our consensus and refrain from actions that might escalate the situation and take concrete measures to safeguard peace and tranquility along the border,” said Zhao.

The seventh round of corps commanders meeting to discuss the stand-off at the Line of Actual Control took place on Monday morning.

Both the Asian giants are engaged in tensions since last five months at the eastern Ladakh border.

This was be the last meeting in which XIV Corps Commander Lt General Harinder Singh will lead the Indian delegation before he hands over the command of the corps to Lt General P G K Menon, who will take over later in the week.

Last week, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, referring to the border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh said, “The Indian Air Force is very well positioned to deal with any threat and very strong deployments have been made in all relevant areas considering the security scenario.”

Addressing a press conference ahead of Air Force Day on October 8, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said Chinese air power can’t get the better of India’s capabilities but at the same time added that there is no question of underestimating the adversary.

He also said that the IAF is prepared to deal with a two-front war along the northern and western borders if such a scenario arises. “Be rest assured that we have deployed strongly to deal with any contingency,” the IAF chief said when asked about the situation in eastern Ladakh and possible threat from China in the region.