04 September 2012

India: Chinese Activities on Border

Click to Enlarge (Wiki Info)

China disputes the international Boundary between India and China. There is no commonly delineated 'Line of Actual Control' (LAC) between the two countries. Both sides patrol up to their respective perceptions of LAC. There has been no Chinese intrusion into our territory during the last three years. However, Chinese patrolling upto their perception of LAC are treated as transgressions. Such incidents of transgressions are taken up with the Chinese side through established mechanisms such as Hot Lines, Flag Meetings, Border Personnel Meetings and the newly established Working Mechanism on Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs.

Government is aware of the infrastructure development by China at the border and their undertaking infrastructure projects in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Government has conveyed its concerns to China about their activities in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and asked them to cease such activities. 

Government is fully seized of the security imperatives of the country and reviews the threat perception from time to time as well as the need for developing requisite infrastructure in the border areas. Necessary steps, as required, have been initiated for ensuring that national security concerns are adequately addressed through development of infrastructure, including rails, roads and forward air fields, as well as operational capabilities of the Armed forces to secure the desired national security objectives. 

Indian territory under occupation by China in Jammu & Kashmir since 1962 is approximately 38,000 sq. kms. In addition to this, under the so called China-Pakistan "Boundary Agreement" of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq. kms. of Indian territory in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to China. In the eastern sector, China illegally claims approximately 90,000 sq. km. of Indian territory in the State of Arunachal Pradesh. The two countries have appointed Special Representatives to explore from the political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship the framework for a boundary settlement. 

This information was given by Minister of Defence Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Radha Mohan Singh and others in Lok Sabha today.