The Doklam standoff happened due to “lack of mutual trust” between India and China, and they need to work together to create favourable conditions and gradually settle the boundary issue, a top Chinese diplomat said today, ahead of this week’s informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Indian and Chinese troops had been locked in a stand-off for over two months last year in the Doklam area near Sikkim before “disengaging” on August 28. The area of the standoff is also claimed by Bhutan.

"The boundary incident that happened (at Doklam) last year someway reflected lack of mutual trust between the two countries,” Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou told the media when asked about the Doklam standoff.

Courtesy: The Pioneer, Wednesday, 25 April 2018 | PTI | Beijing