China passes a new border law for the “protection and exploitation of the country’s land border areas” amid a continuing stalemate in negotiations with India.
What is the new law about?
The law which will take effect on January 1 designates the responsibilities of various agencies in China, from the military to local authorities, in guarding the frontiers.
It states that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People’s Republic of China are sacred and inviolable.
The law asks the state to take measures to safeguard territorial integrity and land boundaries.
The law says that the Chinese military shall carry out border duties to prevent, stop and combat invasion, encroachment, provocation and other acts.
It suggests a push to settle civilians in the border areas.
It also asks the state to follow the principles of equality, mutual trust, and friendly consultation and handle land border related-affairs with neighbouring countries through negotiations.
What is the status of China’s land border dispute?
China shares its 22,457-km land boundary with 14 countries including India, the third longest after the borders with Mongolia and Russia.
Unlike the Indian border China’s borders with these two countries are not disputed.
The only other country with which China has disputed land borders is Bhutan (477 km).
What does China’s action signal India?
The announcement of new law at this time sends a clear signal to New Delhi that Beijing is in no mood to quickly end the 18-month-long crisis along the LAC.
India has reacted sharply, telling China that it must not use legislation as a pretext to formalise the PLA’s actions to unilaterally alter the LAC.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the law would not affect the implementation of existing agreements.
It makes the negotiations more difficult and the Chinese are clearly indicating that they will resolve the boundary through use of force.
China has been building border defence villages across the LAC in all sectors to use the civil population to reinforce their claims.
The law is the latest signal that the continuing deployments by both sides in forward areas and a build-up of infrastructure is likely to continue over the longer term.
