Amid the military standoff with India in eastern Ladakh, China’s national legislature on October 23, 2021, adopted a new Land Border Law for the protection and exploitation of the land border areas. The law states that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People’s Republic of China are sacred and inviolable. The Land Border Law will come into effect from January 1, 2022. The Law reflects the growing confidence of China in its capability to manage its 22,000-km land border with 14 countries.
Also read: China – Taiwan Tension: Why is China increasing its military pressure on Taiwan?
China passes new Land Border LawThe Land Border Law was approved October 23, 2021, by the members of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee at the closing meeting of the 31st session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee. The meeting was presided over by the NPC Standing Committee’s Chairman Li Zhanshu. President Xi Jinping signed orders to promulgate the law. Significance The Land Border Law reflects the growing confidence of China in its capability to manage its 22,000-km land border with 14 countries including Russia, North Korea, Mongolia, India, and Bhutan. China has land border disputes with India (3,488-km along LAC) and Bhutan (400-km) while it has resolved boundary disputes with 12 countries. The Law comprises 62 Articles that stipulate measures to strengthen border defence, improve public services and infrastructure, support economic and social development in border areas, promote coordination between border defence and social, economic development, and encourage and support people’s life and work in border areas. The Law also stipulates establishing trade areas and border economic cooperation zones at the borders. It also states to improve the ecological environment in addition to maintaining flood and fire control and epidemic control along the border. |
China’s Land Border Law – Key Highlights
Responsibilities of PLA, Chinese military, State govt
The Law states that China shall follow the principle of equality, mutual trust, and friendly consultation. It will conduct negotiations with neighbouring countries to manage land border-related affairs and resolve longstanding border issues and disputes. Though the law also states that China can close its border if it recognizes a war or any armed conflict as a threat to its border security.
The Law states the responsibilities of the military, state governments, and the State Council or Cabinet for the management of the economic and security issues in border areas. The law does not stipulate how to handle border security though the law stipulates that the Chinese military and military police will take measures to safeguard territorial integrity and land boundaries and guard against and combat any act that undermines territorial sovereignty and land boundaries.
The People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police Force will guard against any “invasion, encroachment, infiltration, and provocation.” As per Article 22 of the Land Borders Law, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) shall be responsible for ‘carrying out border duties’ including ‘organizing drills’ and ‘resolutely prevent, stop, and combat invasion, encroachment, provocation, and other acts.’
As per Article 7 of the Law, the relevant militia will organize, guide, coordinate the defence and control of land borders, handle emergencies, maintain social stability, and cooperate in border defence.
Construction of border towns, strengthening border infrastructure
The Law includes a significant Article 43 that stipulates the support of the state for the construction of border towns, strengthening supporting capacity for the construction, and improving the functioning of border towns.
In the past years, China has been constructing a number of towns with proper infrastructure close to the border in Tibet that have a significant part in border defence. By the end of 2020, there have been more than 600-well-developed high-standard border villages with accessible roads. Around 130 border roads have been built or reconstructed.
China has also been working on strengthening border infrastructure that includes road, rail, and air networks. In June 2021, China launched its first fully electrified bullet train in Tibet connecting Lhasa and Nyingchi which is strategically located on the Tibetan border close to Arunachal Pradesh.
India-China border disputeIndia-China border disputes run 3,488-km along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). On June 15, 2020, the India-China border witnessed the worst violence since 1967 that killed 20 Indian soldiers. The clash occurred in the Galwan Valley which is strategically located between Ladakh on the Indian side of LAC and Aksai Chin on China’s side of the LAC. Following the clash in Galwan Valley, China claimed that the entire valley belongs to China while India termed the claim as exaggerated. As per experts and scholars, the LAC claims and territorial claims are different. The LAC claims refer to the territory which is under the effective control of each country. India refers to China’s claim to the entire Galwan Valley as unilaterally altering the LAC. India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on October 21, 2021, during a seminar on ‘Leveraging China’s Economy’ said that the developments along the LAC in eastern Ladakh have seriously disturbed the peace and tranquility in border areas. This has definitely impacted the border relationship as well. Shringla stated that for India and China to work together, peace and tranquility in the border areas is a sine qua non. |
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