Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian is making remarks at a press briefing on April 7. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

China warned India not to start new disputes, and will take measures to protect the interests of Chinese firms operating in India, China's Foreign Ministry said on Friday in response to a series of measures taken by India against China. 

Zhao Lijian, the spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, said that pragmatic cooperation between China and India is mutually beneficial and win-win, and man-made obstacles to cooperation between the two countries violate relevant WTO rules and will also harm India's interests.

His comments came after a series of measures, such as banning 59 mobile applications developed by Chinese firms, were taken by the Indian government against China after border tensions between the two countries boiled over in June. Media outlets even reported that Indian officials said Chinese companies will not be allowed to participate in India's future highway projects.

As the two countries' border conflict eased, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited a forward post in the border region of Ladakh on Friday morning, with a Chinese analyst saying the move is aimed at diverting public attention from his government's incompetence in its coronavirus response, and the country's slumping economy. 

Modi told the troops, "The weak can never accomplish peace, the brave do," Indian media NDTV reported. This was the first visit of India's Cabinet Committee on Security to the region after the clash. 

Qian Feng, the director of the research department of the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University in Beijing, told the Global Times on Friday that Modi attempted to show that he was a "strongman" on national security issues to soften criticism against him, and shift public attention from his government's incompetence in the coronavirus response, and economic slowdown. 

Modi could learn about the preparations and deployment of the frontline and make preparations for the next step, Qian said. 

The move also served to show China and the international community that India is firm in its commitment to safeguard national sovereignty, although India is willing to ease the situation through a bilateral mechanism and dialogue, Qian added. 

In response, Zhao said on Friday that China and India are engaging in dialogue on easing the situation through military and diplomatic channels, and neither side should take any action that may complicate the border situation.