India criticises China for new land border law

India noted that, the 'unilateral' move by Beijing 'will have no bearing on the arrangements that both sides have already reached earlier'

New Delhi: The Indian government on Wednesday expressed concern and strongly criticised China’s new “Land Boundary Law”, terming it as a “unilateral decision” that “can have implications on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question”, and urged Beijing to “avoid undertaking any action under the pretext of this law that could unilaterally alter the situation in the India-China border areas”.

Pointing out that the new Chinese law passed last Saturday states that China abides by treaties concluded with or jointly acceded to by foreign countries on land boundary affairs with provisions to carry out the reorganisation of districts in the border areas, New Delhi noted India and China have still not resolved the boundary question and that hence such an “unilateral” move by Beijing “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 Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas.

New Delhi also said the passage of the new Chinese law cannot legitimise the so-called China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963 which India has always maintained “is an illegal and invalid agreement”. It may be recalled that Pakistan had illegally transferred about 5,000 sq km of land in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to China in 1963 under that pact.  

In a statement, the MEA said: “We have noted that China has passed a new ‘Land Boundary Law’ on 23 October 2021. The law states among other things 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.”

The MEA added: “In this regard, China’s unilateral decision to bring about legislation which can have implication on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question is of concern to us. 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.

New Delhi added: “Both sides have agreed to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution to the boundary question through consultations on an equal footing. We have also concluded several bilateral agreements, protocols and arrangements to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China border areas in the interim.”

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

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