India expresses concern over China’s new boundary law

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 27

India has expressed concern over China’s Land Boundary Law passed on October 23.

“China’s unilateral decision to bring about legislation which can have implications on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question is of concern to us,” said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

The passage of this new law does not confer any legitimacy to the so-called China-Pakistan “Boundary Agreement” of 1963 which India has consistently maintained is an illegal and invalid agreement, he added.

Analysts believe this law which entrusts the border area responsibility to the People’s Liberation Army from January 1 would make any Indian attempts to persuade a pull back in eastern Ladakh difficult.

Such unilateral move will have no bearing on the arrangements that both sides have already reached earlier, whether it is on the Boundary Question or for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China Border areas. “We also expect that China will avoid undertaking action under the pretext of this law which could unilaterally alter the situation in the India-China border areas,” observed Bagchi.

The new “Land Boundary Law” passed by China on October 23, among other things, states that China abides by treaties concluded with or jointly acceded to by foreign countries on land boundary affairs. It also has provisions to carry out reorganisation of districts in the border areas.

“It may be noted that India and China have still not resolved the boundary question,” Bagchi pointed out. Both sides have agreed to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution to the Boundary Question through consultations on an equal footing. Both sides have also concluded several bilateral agreements, protocols and arrangements to maintain peace and tranquility along the LAC in India-China border areas in the interim, he reminded the Chinese side.