China blames tension on India’s border infra, rejects Ladakh status

Beijing: India’s decision to develop infrastructure and deploy troops along the border with China are the root causes of tension between the two countries, the Chinese foreign ministry contended on Tuesday, saying that Beijing was against New Delhi building military facilities close to the disputed boundary.

China also reasserted that it did not recognise the Union Territory of Ladakh -- created last year after the reorganisation of the former state of Jammu & Kashmir -- and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

“For some time, the Indian side has been ramping up infrastructure development along the border and stepping up military deployment that is the root cause for the tensions between the two sides,” foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.

“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 tranquillity along the border,” Zhao added at the regular ministry press conference on Tuesday.

Zhao was responding to a question on India building allweather bridges in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh that would give access to the disputed boundary.

India’s strengthening of its infrastructure in border areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) comes amid the worst border tension with China in decades in eastern Ladakh, where border troops from the two countries have been locked in a face-off since May.

Several rounds of diplomatic and military-level talks have failed to resolve the situation and disengage troops.

Last week, defence minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated 44 bridges built by the army’s Border Roads Organisation (BRO), among the 102 bridges that it is building. An Indian official told Hindustan Times in New Delhi that 30 of the 44 bridges commissioned are on the route to the LAC from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.

Zhao reiterated Beijing’s views on both the Indian regions.

“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...,” foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian added.