China on Monday asserted that Doklam belongs to it and India should have “learnt lessons” from the standoff last year, after India’s envoy blamed China for the face-off, saying it happened because Beijing tried to alter the “status quo” in the disputed area.

Reacting to India’s Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale’s remarks that were published on Saturday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, “Donglong (Doklam) belongs to China because we have historical conventions. China’s activities there are within our sovereign rights. There is no such thing as changing status quo.”

“Last year thanks to our concerted efforts and wisdom we properly resolved this issue. We hope the Indian side could learn some lessons from this and stick to the historical conventions and work with China to ensure the atmosphere in the border areas is conducive for the development of bilateral ties,” she said.

The standoff over China’s attempt to build a road close to India’s narrow Chicken Neck area connecting North Eastern states ended in August last year after Chinese troops stopped the road construction at Doklam in Sikkim Section, though Beijing never officially acknowledged it. The area of the standoff is also claimed by Bhutan.

The India’s envoy in an interview to Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post had blamed China for the standoff in Doklam saying it happened because Beijing tried to alter the “status quo”.

He had said any change of status quo along the India-China border might lead to another Doklam-like crisis.

He said though “no change” has taken place in the standoff site at Doklam after it was resolved last year, the PLA may be reinforcing its troops “well behind the sensitive area”.

Asked about Bambawale’s comments that the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control should be demarcated and delineated, Hua said, “China’s position is clear and consistent. The east, middle and western side are yet to be officially demarcated. China and India are exploring ways to resolve this territorial dispute through negotiations so that we can arrive at mutually acceptable solution,” she said.