New Delhi, Oct 26: China on Monday defended its border patrols as “normal” activities to safeguard its territorial sovereignty, urging India to work with Beijing to maintain peace and tranquillity along the disputed boundary amid differences over established patrolling patterns.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing strictly adhered to bilateral agreements and understandings while conducting patrols along the border.
“China strictly abides by the relevant agreements and common understandings reached between the two countries and conducts normal border patrol and control activities to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and stability in the border areas,” Guo said at a regular press conference.
Responding to a question citing India’s concerns over Chinese forces deviating from established patrolling patterns, Guo said the two countries maintained communication through diplomatic and military channels.
“We hope that India will work with China in the same direction by jointly implementing the common understandings reached between the two sides and maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas through concrete actions,” he said.
Beijing’s remarks came days after India said the situation along the India-China border was periodically disturbed when Chinese forces deviated from established patrolling patterns.
On Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the remarks in response to comments by Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General Shatrujeet Kapoor, who said face-offs between Indian and Chinese forces continued at several locations in Arunachal Pradesh.
“As we have noted in the past, the situation in the India-China border areas gets disturbed from time to time when Chinese forces diverge from established patrolling patterns,” Jaiswal had said.
When asked about the specific locations mentioned by the ITBP chief, Jaiswal referred the query to the Ministry of Defence.
India has consistently maintained that peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are essential for the overall development of bilateral relations with China.
Both countries continue to engage through diplomatic and military-level mechanisms to address outstanding border issues and prevent misunderstandings along the disputed boundary.
