New Delhi: India on Tuesday categorically rejected China’s “so-called unilaterally defined” Line of Actual Control (LAC) of 1959, and asked the neighbouring country to refrain from advancing an “untenable” interpretation of the de-facto border.
The Indian government also reminded China that its insistence there is only “one LAC” is contrary to the solemn commitments made by Beijing in previous bilateral agreements, and expected it will “sincerely” abide by them in their entirety. The assertion by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came in response to comments by a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson that China continues to follow its 1959 stand on the perception of the LAC.
“India has never accepted the so-called unilaterally defined 1959 Line of Actual Control. This position has been consistent and well known, including to the Chinese side,” MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in response to a question by the media on China insisting that it takes the 1959 line on perception of the LAC. The comments by Srivastava also came on a day when China needled India and questioned the status of Ladakh as UT of India. “China doesn’t recognise the so-called ‘Ladakh Union Territory’ illegally set up by India. We are opposed to conducting infrastructure development for military purposes in disputed border areas,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said.
By DTNEXT
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