Amid LAC Standoff With India, China Passes New Law For Protection & Development Of Land Border Areas

According to the new border law, the state directs the military to safeguard China's territory and combat any act that is a threat to its territorial claims.

File Photo: PTI

New Delhi: China’s legislature has adopted a new border law calling out for the protection and exploitation of the land border areas. The law will come into effect from January 1, 2021.

It is expected to have bearing on China's border dispute with India.

According to the new border law, the state directs the military to safeguard China's territory and combat any act that is a threat to its territorial claims.

On Saturday, the members of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) approved the new border law, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People's Republic of China are sacred and inviolable," the law stated, as quoted by PTI.

The law further stipulates that the state shall be entitled to take certain measures for strengthening border defence, supporting economic and social development along with opening-up in border areas, improving public services and infrastructure in such areas, encouraging and supporting people's life and work there, and promote coordination between border defence and social, economic development in border areas.

China is currently engaged in border disputes with two countries such as India and Bhutan, while it has resolved the border disputes with 12 other neighbours.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had said that the recent developments around the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh have caused tension and disrupted the peace and tranquillity around the border areas which in turn has led to disturbances within India-China relationships too.

While addressing a seminar on "Leveraging China's Economy" on October 21, Foreign Secretary had also said that the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's remarks that the ability of India and China to work together will determine the Asian century.

"For this to materialise, peace and tranquillity in the border areas is a sine qua non. He (Jaishankar) has also clearly articulated that development of our ties can only be based on mutuality -- mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests should guide this process," Foreign Secretary said.

(With inputs from PTI)