China’s 'Land Boundary Law' Can Have Implication On Existing Bilateral Arrangements: MEA

India expects China to avoid undertaking action under the pretext of this law, which could unilaterally alter the situation in the border areas.

MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. (Picture Credit: ANI)

New Delhi: Noting that China has passed a new “Land Boundary Law”, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday said Beijing’s unilateral decision to bring about a legislation which can have implication on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question is of concern to India.

“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 tranquility along the LAC in the India-China border areas,” MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a release.

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India expects China to avoid undertaking action under the pretext of this law, which could unilaterally alter the situation in the border areas.

“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 Government of India has consistently maintained is an illegal and invalid agreement,” added Bagchi.

The MEA official spokesperson said the law states among other things that China abides by treaties concluded with or jointly acceded to by foreign countries on land boundary affairs.

He added it also has provisions to carry out reorganisation of districts in the border areas.

Noting that India and China have still not resolved the boundary question, the MEA official spokesperson further said 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 tranquility along the LAC in the India-China border areas in the interim,” he added.