The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India: Chinese State media
China and India do not need help from the US to resolve their current round frictions at the border, China's state-run media said on Thursday in response to President Donald Trump's offer to mediate, pointing out that the leadership of the two countries successfully solved the Doklam standoff in 2017 with "concerted efforts and wisdom."
While the Chinese Foreign Ministry is yet to react to Trump's tweet which appears to have caught Beijing by surprise, an op-ed article in the state-run Global Times said both countries don't need such a help from President Trump.
"The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardize regional peace and order," it said.
"China and India successfully solved their Doklam faceoff with concerted efforts and wisdom. The two informal summits between the leadership of the two sides, one in the Chinese city of Wuhan in 2018 and the other in the Indian city of Chennai in 2019, set the tone to maintain peace and tranquility along the border," it said.
"Indian experts also believe that the special representatives' talks on the boundary question between India and China constitute an important channel of communication, and should continue in order to mitigate border standoffs and other hot issues," it said.
In the midst of latest flare-ups between Indian and Chinese armies, Trump on Wednesday said he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries.
"We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute," Trump said in a tweet on Wednesday.
In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday that India was engaged with China to resolve the border issue, in a carefully crafted reaction seen as virtual rejection of President Trump's offer.
"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to a volley of questions at an online media briefing.
The MEA spokesperson did not reply to questions like whether the US had approached India with the offer, whether New Delhi has communicated its response over it to Washington or whether the Trump administration has been briefed about the current standoff between Chinese and Indian soldiers in eastern Ladakh.
At the same time, he asserted that India is "firm" in its resolve to protect its sovereignty and national security.
Mr Srivastava said India is committed to the objective of maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control and that Indian troops take a very responsible approach towards border management.
"The two sides have established mechanisms both at military and diplomatic levels to resolve situations which may arise in border areas peacefully through dialogue and continue to remain engaged through these channels," he said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations.
The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders.
Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence.
The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.