India on Friday stated that it had lodged a "solemn protest" with China regarding the establishment of two new counties in the Hotan prefecture, emphasizing that such actions would not legitimize Beijing's "illegal and forcible" occupation of the region.
This development has emerged as a fresh challenge in bilateral ties, just weeks after India and China concluded a border standoff lasting over four and a half years and agreed on measures to build trust.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Photograph: (Reuters)
Meanwhile, India reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring areas near the China border, following reports of China's plan to construct a dam on the Brahmaputra River. Concerns have been raised about the potential ecological impact on Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, as the river flows through these two states.
Reason Behind India's Protest
In a firm response, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that portions of the so-called counties are located within India's Union Territory of Ladakh and emphasized that China's actions will not affect New Delhi's steadfast stance on its sovereignty.
China's declaration of the two counties came just days after the Special Representatives of both nations resumed boundary talks, which had been stalled for nearly five years.
"We have seen the announcement pertaining to the establishment of two new counties in Hotan Prefecture of China. Parts of jurisdiction of these so-called counties fall in India's Union Territory of Ladakh," Jaiswal said.
"We have never accepted the illegal Chinese occupation of Indian territory in this area," he said.
"Creation of new counties will neither have a bearing on India's long-standing and consistent position regarding our sovereignty over the area nor lend legitimacy to China's illegal and forcible occupation of the same," Jaiswal added.
He further said: "We have lodged a solemn protest with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels."
The latest strain in India-China relations surfaced just weeks after the two countries resolved a more than four-and-a-half-year border standoff and agreed on measures to rebuild trust.
On October 21, both sides finalized the disengagement of troops from the remaining friction points at Demchok and Depsang, following a mutual understanding.
Subsequently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Russia on October 23, where they agreed to revive various bilateral dialogue mechanisms, signaling their intent to restore normalcy in relations.
Nearly a month later, India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi held discussions in Beijing under the framework of the Special Representatives mechanism on the border issue. This marked the first such dialogue in almost five years.
India to Keep Vigil as China Plans Mega Dam on Brahmaputra River
Days after China revealed its plan to construct a mega dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, India stated on Friday that it would remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to safeguard its interests.
In its initial response to the proposed project, New Delhi called on Beijing to ensure that the activities in upstream areas do not negatively impact the interests of downstream states along the Brahmaputra.
"We will continue to monitor and take necessary measures to protect our interests," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
There are concerns that the dam could negatively affect the ecological balance in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, through which the Brahmaputra River flows.
"As a lower riparian state with established user rights to the waters of the river, we have consistently expressed, through expert-level as well as diplomatic channels, our views and concerns to the Chinese side over mega projects on rivers in their territory," Jaiswal said.
"These have been reiterated, along with need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries, following the latest report," he said.
"The Chinese side has been urged to ensure that the interests of downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas," he added.
On December 25, China unveiled plans to build the world's largest dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, near its border with India.
The project, estimated to cost approximately USD 137 billion, will be situated in the environmentally sensitive Himalayan region.
Reports indicate that the dam is planned for a massive gorge in the Himalayas where the Brahmaputra takes a sharp U-turn before entering Arunachal Pradesh and subsequently flowing into Bangladesh.
The announcement has sparked concerns in both India and Bangladesh.
However, last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning sought to downplay apprehensions surrounding the project.
"The project will not negatively affect the lower reaches," she mentioned, in reference to the concerns in India and Bangladesh.
"China will continue to maintain communication with countries at the lower reaches through existing channels and step up cooperation on disaster prevention and relief for the benefit of the people by the river," she said.
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