China on Thursday said it was ready to work with India to properly deal with the border stand-off while noting that “suspicion and friction” was a wrong path that goes against the fundamental aspirations of the people of the two countries.

In an interview to PTI, Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong said India and China are able to properly manage their differences, and called upon New Delhi to avoid taking actions that may “complicate” the situation in eastern Ladakh.

At present, the overall situation along the China-India border areas is “stable and controllable,” he added. “We hope the Indian side meets the Chinese side halfway, avoids taking actions that may complicate the border situation and takes concrete actions to maintain stability in the border areas.”

He said “mutual respect and support” is a sure way and meets the long-term interests of both countries, but at the same time, largely put the onus on India to ease tension in the region.

In the course of the interview, Sun repeated the Chinese government’s stand — which has been rejected by India — that Indian troops are responsible for the Galwan Valley clashes. “The onus is not on China. The Indian side crossed the LAC (Line of Actual Control) for provocation and attacked the Chinese border troops. The Indian forces seriously violated agreements on border issues between the two countries,” he said.

Sun further said: “China and India are willing and able to properly manage differences. In the last few weeks, both sides have held a series of diplomatic and military talks to cool down temperature even as Chinese military has increased its presence in all sensitive areas along the 3,500km LAC, the de-facto border.”

Sun said: “Mutual respect and support is a sure way and meets the long-term interests of both countries, suspicion and friction is a wrong path and goes against the fundamental aspiration of the two peoples... we are ready to work with the Indian side to properly deal with the current situation, jointly uphold peace and stability in the border areas, and ensure a sound and steady development of bilateral relations.”

On May 6, he claimed the Indian troops crossed the LAC in the Galwan Valley and trespassed into Chinese territory. “They resorted to violent means to create a standoff between the two sides and built infrastructure in an attempt to maintain a permanent presence,” he alleged.

India has said all infrastructure built by it has always been on its side of the LAC.