India on October 27, 2021, expressed concern over China’s new Land Border Law that was passed by Beijing on October 23, 2021, for the protection and exploitation of the country’s land border areas. In a response to media queries on China’s Land Border Law, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said, “China’s unilateral decision to bring about legislation which can have an implication on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question is of concern of to us (India)”.
China on October 23, 2021, passed the Land Border Law to manage its 22,000-km land border that it shares with 14 countries. The Law comprises measures to strengthen border defence, support economic and social development in border areas, improve infrastructure in border areas, construct border towns, and afford militia with rights to coordinate defence and control of land borders.
Read more: China passes new Land Border Law – Explained
India raises concern over China’s new Land Border LawBagchi in his statement said that it should be noted that India and China have still not resolved the boundary question. Both countries have agreed to seek a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution to the Boundary Question through consultations on an equal footing. Both sides have earlier also concluded several bilateral protocols, agreements, and arrangements to maintain peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in India-China border areas in the interim. Hence, such a unilateral move by China will have no bearing on the arrangements that both countries have agreed upon earlier whether it is on the Boundary Question or for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China border areas. India also expects that China will not undertake any action under the pretext of its new Land Border Law which could unilaterally alter the situation in the India-China border areas. The Statement further mentioned that the new Land Border Law by China does not confer any legitimacy to the so-called China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963. India has repeatedly maintained that the 1963 agreement between China-Pakistan is an illegal and invalid agreement. |
Also read: Current Affairs in Short: 25 October 2021
How can China’s Land Border Law affect India-China relations?
China on October 23, 2021, passed the Land Border Law to manage its 22,000-km land border that it shares with 14 countries. The law is not meant specifically for the border with India. However, of these 14 countries, China has border disputes with India and Bhutan.
The new Land Border Law could prolong the 17-month long military stand-off at LAC between the India-China border. India-China border dispute runs along the 3,488-km along the LAC. On June 15, 2020, India-China witnessed the worst clash in the Galwan Valley that killed 20 Indian soldiers. The Galwan Valley is strategically located on the Indian side of the LAC though China claims that the entire valley belongs to China.
Also read: Current Affairs in Short: 11 October 2021
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