Engage in direct dialogue to defuse Doklam standoff: US tells India, China

The US State Department on Wednesday said India, China should hold direct dialogue to defuse the on going Doklam standoff. The remarks came a day after Indian border guards foiled an attempt by Chinese soldiers to enter Indian territory along the banks of famous Pangong lake in Ladakh.

The latest skirmish comes at a time when India and China are locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector. The standoff has been ongoing for more than 50 days, after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

"We are encouraging both parties to sit down and have a direct dialogue," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at a news conference.

Nauert was responding to questions on the skirmish between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Ladakh and continued standoff in Doklam area.

Earlier on August 11, the US had pressed for diplomatic talks between the two nations, adding that the stand-off is a situation that it has certainly followed closely.

PTI