Controversy over China enacting 'land boundary law' to boost construction on LAC

Beijing, Ta. 3
Amid tensions over the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India, China on Saturday called the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity "sacred and intact" and enacted a new "land border law" in parliament to develop defense and infrastructure in border areas. China also passed the law in parliament on Saturday. The law could have an impact on Beijing's border dispute with India. Under the law, China will develop infrastructure to strengthen border security and economic and social development. Meanwhile, top commanders of the Indian Army will review the country's security challenges on the LAC with China.
According to China's state-run Xinhua news agency, members of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress approved the law during the closing session of parliament on Saturday. This law will come into force from January 1 next year.
According to this law, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People's Republic of China is sacred and intact. The law also states that the country will develop infrastructure to strengthen border security, assist in economic and social development, open border areas, create public services and better infrastructure in these areas, promote it and help the lives and work of the people there. It can also take measures to increase coordination in defense, social and economic development at the borders.
Under the law, security will be beefed up in China's border areas, along with economic and social development, as well as public sectors and infrastructure. Border security and economic, social coordination will be created for people to live and work in the border areas. The new law is intended to help the state in the construction of border towns as well as increase construction capacity in border areas. China has strengthened infrastructure in Tibet near the Arunachal Pradesh border in recent years and has also launched bullet trains in Tibet.
According to China's law, the country will resolve land border issues with neighboring countries adhering to the principles of equality, mutual trust and friendly negotiations, and will hold negotiations for the proper settlement of long-standing border issues and disputes. The border dispute between India and China is over an area of ​​6.5 km along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), while China's dispute with Bhutan is over a border of only 200 km. Foreign Secretary Harshvardhan Sringala said last week that the developments on the LAC in eastern Ladakh had seriously affected peace in the border areas and, of course, it had also affected bilateral relations between the two countries.
Meanwhile, top commanders of the Indian Army will conduct a comprehensive review of the country's security challenges in sensitive areas on the LAC with China, including eastern Ladakh. A four-day conference is being held in Delhi from Monday for this, sources said. The commanders will also review the security arrangements here in the wake of the killing of civilians in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the last few weeks.
Sources said Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Narwane and top commanders would review India's preparations for the war in eastern Ladakh. The military commanders will also discuss the potential impact of the Taliban coming to power in Afghanistan on security in India and the subcontinent. The Army Commanders Conference is a biennial meeting of the Army, held in April and October, the Army said.