A day after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated 44 permanent bridges in border areas, China on Tuesday said “it does not recognise the Ladakh Union Territory illegally set up by India” and opposes infrastructure building in the region. It also claimed infrastructure development is the “root cause for tension” between the two countries.
The sharp reaction from Beijing came as eight of 44 bridges are in Ladakh where a stand-off is on between the armies of the two countries for the last five months. Successive rounds of military and diplomatic level talks between the two sides have so far failed to break the logjam.
The seventh round of Corps Commander level talks were held on Monday in which both the countries reiterated their resolve to continue the process of dialogue to disengage and de-escalation. The parleys lasted for more than 11 hours in Chushul on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Issuing a joint statement on the talks, the two countries said on Tuesday the “two sides had a sincere, in-depth and constructive exchange of views on disengagement along the LAC in the Western Sector of India-China border areas.”
They were of the view that these discussions were positive, constructive and had enhanced understanding of each other’s positions. Both sides agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels, and arrive at a mutually acceptable solution for disengagement as early as possible.
Both sides agreed to earnestly implement the important understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, not to turn differences into disputes, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas.
Incidentally, this is the second time the two armies came out with a joint statement. In the first such communiqué after the sixth round of military level talks on September 21, both the countries agreed to refrain from sending more troops to the border and maintain peace.
Against this backdrop when the process of talks is on in the right earnest, Zhao Lijian, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, on Tuesday while blaming infrastructure projects for tension, said neither country should take action that might escalate tensions. This is the second time in the past few weeks when China has raised questions about Ladakh.
He made these remarks when asked to react to the series of bridges inaugurated in India, including eight in Ladakh and eight in Arunachal Pradesh. “First I want to make it clear that China does not recognise the Ladakh Union Territory illegally set up by the Indian side and Arunachal Pradesh. We stand against the development of infrastructure facilities aimed at military contention along the border area,” said the Chinese spokesperson.
“Based on consensus, neither should take actions along the border that might escalate the situation that is to avoid undermining the efforts by the two sides to ease the situation.”
He also said the Indian side “ramping up infrastructure development along the border and stepping up military deployment is the root cause for the tensions between the two sides”.
“We urge the Indian side to earnestly implement our consensus and refrain from actions that might escalate the situation and take concrete measures to safeguard peace and tranquility along the border,” said Zhao.
In fact, the stand-offs began in early May in the Galwan valley after a Chinese patrol obstructed an Indian patrol claiming that India was building the 270-km long road there in disputed area. India strongly rejected the Chinese allegation and said the bridge and roads were well within its own territory.
China is rattled by rapid improvement in infrastructure projects in Ladakh and other regions near the LAC in eastern region. These projects including roads and bridges will facilitate faster movement of troops and weapons closer to the border, officials said.
Dedicating the bridges to the nation, Rajnath had said after Pakistan, China is also creating a dispute at the border with India as if it was part of a “mission.” You are well aware of the conditions created along our northern and eastern borders. First it was Pakistan, and now also by China, as if a border dispute is being created under a mission. We have a border of about 7,000 km with these countries where the tension continues,” the Minister said.
The bridges inaugurated by him included 10 in Jammu & Kashmir, eight in Ladakh, two in Himachal Pradesh, four each in Punjab and Sikkim and eight each in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his visit to Beijing last year, had conveyed to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that there was no implication of the change “for either the external boundaries of India or the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. India was not raising any additional territorial claims.” This reiteration was made after abrogation of Article 370 giving special status to Jammu & Kashmir. Jaishankar had also said, “The legislative measures were aimed at promoting better governance and socio-economic development,” he had said.