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11/02/2024 03:24:08 pm

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China Rebukes India For New Post Construction Plans On Disputed Border

China-India Ties

(Photo : Reuters / Adnan Abidi) A man walks inside a conference room used for meetings between military commanders of China and India, at the Indian side of the Indo-China border at Bumla, in Arunachal Pradesh, November 11, 2009.

China's Ministry of Defense voiced concern on Thursday over India's plan to build 54 posts along the disputed border in Arunachal Pradesh and warned against re-igniting tensions to a conflict that has yet to be resolved.

Defense ministry spokesperson Yang Yujun said media reports from New Delhi suggested the Indian government intends to build 54 border posts in the disputed region.

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He expressed hope that India would continue efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region and reiterated an agreement that both sides would avoid taking measures that could complicate the situation.

When asked why Beijing was concerned, despite China's own extensive infrastructure development endeavors in the area, Yang argued that the region in question covers the still-disputed East China-India border.

China's stance on the dispute remains clear and consistent, he added.

Yang's comments echo the argument the Chinese foreign ministry has expressed in recent weeks.

Earlier, another foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunyung called on New Delhi to refrain from taking steps that could exacerbate the border issue since the dispute has not been settled.

Likewise, spokesman Hong Lei issued the same statements with regard to news on India's plans to build a 2,000 kilometer-long road running along the border from Magothingbu, Tawang to Vijaynagar in Arunachal Pradesh.

The long-standing boundary dispute has been ongoing for 52 years since the Sino-India war in 1962. Since then, numerous standoffs have ensued between border officials from both sides.

The issue remains a touchy subject for both sides despite a growth in bilateral trade and business partnerships.

Last month, Chinese and Indian border officials engaged in a lengthy standoff in the Ladakh border at the same time President Xi Jinping was in New Delhi for a summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During the summit, both leaders agreed to bolster cooperation in the economic sector and boost Chinese investment in India's road and rail networks.

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