China claims fresh military build up on India border is 'JUSTIFIED' after armed standoff

CHINA has insisted it is completely “justified” after satellite images revealed its military build-up just 81 metres from an India military base in a disputed region.

China India borderGETTY/GOOGLE EARTH

Satellite images have revealed a military build-up on China's side of the disputed border

Beijing fired back after being accused of aggression following the construction of what appears to be a military base after an armed standoff saw tensions rise between China and India over the disputed territory.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesmsn Lu Kang said: “China is exercising its sovereignty in its own territory. It's legitimate and justified.

“Just as China will not make comments about Indian construction of infrastructure on India's territory, we hope other countries will not make comment on China's construction of infrastructure on its territory.”

The competing countries recently settled a 70-day standoff after Indian soldiers intervened to stop the advance of a road which was being built towards the disputed Doka La region.

The neighbours both claim sovereignty over the Doklam/Donglong region, which is extremely remote but strategically important.

Indian troops stopped Chinese workers from completing a road which would encroach on its claim resulting in the armed standoff between soldiers from both sides.

China is exercising its sovereignty

Chinese Foreign Ministry Lu Kang

The incident was only resolved when both sides agreed to withdraw ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's high-profile visit to China.

The tension over the region was thought to have subsided until shocking satellite images revealed a massive military build-up on the Chinese side.

Mr Lu said: "You must be quite clear. Donglong (Doklam) always belonged to China and is always under China's effective jurisdiction. There is no dispute in this regard.”

The pictures show that after the advance of the road was halted what had been constructed was fortified.

Gun emplacements and helicopter pads have been identified as well as a massive complex of buildings.

However, the Indian Army do not consider the imposing Chinese build up to be a “serious” issue.

China IndiaGETTY

the two countries were locked in a military standoff in the area recently

Army chief General Bipin Rawat said: "They have carried out some infrastructure development, most of it is temporary in nature.

“But while their troops may have returned and the infrastructure remains, it is any body's guess whether they would come back there, or it is because of the winter they could not take their equipment away.”