Shaking a mountain is easy but shaking Chinese Army is hard: Beijing on Dokalam stand-off

Beijing: Amid a dragging stand-off on the border between the two Asian giants, China on Monday warned India not to underestimate the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and reiterated that Indian troops should pull back from the Dokalam area.

"Shaking a mountain is easy but shaking the PLA is hard," ministry spokesman Wu Qian told a briefing, adding that its ability to defend China`s territory and sovereignty had "constantly strengthened".

The official statement comes after a Chinese daily on June 21 warned India to be ready for war and lose even its own territory if it did not pull back troops.

New Delhi and Beijing have been engaged in the standoff in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan tri-junction since June after a Chinese Army's construction party attempted to build a road. Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while the 'Dragon' claims it as part of its Donglang region.

In the wake of an Army face-off and chill in ties with India over Dokalam stand-off, the Chinese media outlets have been issuing provoking statements.

Amid the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at the Dokalam area, the PLA also conducted live-fire exercises in Tibet.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will visit Beijing to attend the BRICS NSA's meeting on July 27-28.

India has said Beijing's action to "unilaterally determine tri-junction points" violated a 2012 India-China pact which says the boundary would be decided by consulting all the concerned parties.

The Indian Army is ready for a long haul in holding onto its position in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan tri-junction, notwithstanding China ratcheting up rhetoric against India demanding pulling back of its troops.

The Indian soldiers deployed in the disputed area have pitched in tents, in an indication that they are unlikely to retreat unless there was reciprocity from China's PLA personnel in ending the face-off at an altitude of around 10,000 feet in the Sikkim section.

A steady line of supplies is being maintained for the soldiers at the site, official sources said, signalling that Indian Army is not going to wilt under any pressure from China.