NEW DELHI: A day after the inauguration of 44 bridges built by the Border Roads Organisation to facilitate smooth movement of Indian armed forces, particularly along its northern borders, China on Tuesday described India’s development of border infrastructure, coupled with enhanced military deployment, as the “root cause” of the current tensions along the LAC.

Iterating that China didn’t recognise what he described as the so-called Union Territory of Ladakh “set up illegally” by India and also Arunachal Pradesh, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Beijing opposed India’s infrastructure-building activity aimed at “military contention” in disputed border areas.

India has maintained all along that all activities related to improvement of infrastructure in border areas have been carried out on its side of the line of actual control. Despite China repeatedly objecting to construction of roads in border areas in Ladakh, Indian government sources have said there will be no let-up in infrastructure-related work on the Indian side of the LAC.

The Chinese statement, however, again underlines a toughening of stance at a time when Indian and Chinese troops are in close proximity along the LAC and even a false move can lead to hostilities. The remarks feed into the perception that both sides are in a cold haul through the winters.

The remarks by the Chinese spokesperson, who also urged the Indian side to not take any action to complicate the situation, are significant also as they run counter to whatever little progress that might have been made in the 7th round of military talks for disengagement on Monday. A joint press release described the meeting as positive and constructive, adding that both sides had an ``enhanced understanding’’ of each other’s position on disengagement of frontline troops. This duality has marked a diplomatic and military cat and mouse game over the face-off.

“Based on the consensus reached by the two sides recently, neither side should take any action that might complicate the situation at the border region, so that bilateral efforts to ease tension will not be undermined,’’ said spokesperson Zhao.

“For a while, the Indian side has been stepping up infrastructure building and military deployment along the border with China. This is the root cause of tensions. We urge the Indian side to earnestly implement the consensus reached by the two sides, refrain from taking actions that will complicate the situation, and take concrete measures to safeguard peace and tranquillity along the border.

Significantly, while not singling out India, China Tuesday also hit out at the Indo-Pacific concept with foreign minister Wang Yi saying that it was aimed at building an “Indo-Pacific NATO’’ underpinned by the quadrilateral mechanism involving the US, Japan, India and Australia. Wang seemed to give vent to Chinese displeasure over the second Quad ministerial, that took place recently in Tokyo in the middle of the Sino-Indian border standoff, as he said the Indo-Pacific sought to trumpet the Cold War mentality and to ``stir up confrontation among different groups and blocs and to stoke geopolitical competition’’.

Both China and Russia have serious reservations about Indo-Pacific as they believe that it’s only meant to contain Beijing. ``What it maintains is the dominance and hegemonic system of the United States ,’’ said Wang, according to international media reports.

India though has always maintained that the Indo-Pacific is a free, open, transparent and inclusive concept with ASEAN at its centre. Even at the Quad meeting, while US secretary of state Mike Pompeo called for collaboration against Chinese Communist Party’s exploitation, corruption, and coercion, India’s foreign minister S Jaishankar was a lot more restrained as he emphasised that the objective was to advance the security and the economic interests of all countries having ``legitimate and vital interests’’ in the region.