India-China boundary issue should not be 'hyped up': China

Beijing: The India-China boundary issue should not be “hyped up” and the two sides must abide by the agreements to maintain the peace and tranquillity along the border areas, the Chinese Foreign Ministry asserted on Monday. The ministry skirted a direct response to a report that China has lodged a strong protest with New Delhi, alleging “transgression” by the Indian troops in the strategically sensitive Asaphila area along Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian side has dismissed Beijing’s complaint.

“As for the situation on the India-China border, I am not aware of the detailed information,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing when asked about the report. Pending the resolution of the issue, we hope the two sides can abide by the agreements and instead of hyping up the relevant issue”, Geng said, adding that peace and tranquillity should be upheld in the border areas.

He, however, reiterated China’s repeated stand that Beijing never recognised Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as part of southern Tibet. “China’s position on the India-China border is consistent and clear-cut. The Chinese government never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh,” Geng said.

“China and India are engaged in consultation and negotiation to resolve border issues and pursue a fair and just solution that can be accepted by both sides,” he said. Both the countries have Special Representative talks mechanism to resolve the boundary issue. The two countries so far have held 20 rounds of talks to resolve the boundary dispute and worked out different mechanisms to keep peace along the 3,488 km long Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Asked about the recent visit of Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou to New Delhi on April 6 and reports of several Indian top ministers visiting China this month, Geng said, “China and India have a sound momentum of exchanges and close cooperation. It is not strange to have such kind of cooperation.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to due to visit China in June to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, (SCO) summit to be held in the Chinese city of Qingdao.