China warns India not to misjudge Beijing's determination.

China and India said they want peace but blamed each other on Wednesday after soldiers of the two sides savagely fought each other with nail-studded clubs and stones on their Himalayan border, killing at least 20 Indian troops.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the clash erupted after Indian soldiers 'crossed the line, acted illegally, provoked and attacked the Chinese, resulting in both sides engaging in serious physical conflict and injury and death'.

Zhao said the overall situation at the border was stable and controllable.

He said he did not know of any Chinese casualties.

China rejects the Indian allegation that Chinese troops intruded across line of control and has asked India not to build roads in the area, claiming it to be its territory.

China's foreign minister demanded on Wednesday that India punish those behind the deadly border clashes between their forces, and warned New Delhi not to underestimate Beijing's determination to safeguard what it considers its sovereign territory.

Wang Yi's comments came in a telephone call with his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

'The Indian side would best not make an incorrect judgement of the situation, would best not underestimate China's strong...