India - China Relations : On Borders

On 1 April, 1950, India became the first non-socialist bloc country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. 

Prime Minister Nehru visited China in October 1954. While, the India- China border conflict in 1962 was a serious setback to ties; Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s landmark visit in 1988 began a phase of improvement in bilateral relations.

In 1993, the signing of an Agreement on the  Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the India-China Border Areas during Prime Minister Narasimha Rao’s visit reflected the growing stability and substance in bilateral ties.

With the potential to make big contributions to regional peace and development, these two Asian powers have, by design or accident, themselves been the sources of regional tension and insecurity to some extent.

Besides their internal dynamics, the interplay of interests and moves of their neihghbours, and several external powers would have significant bearing on the equation and relations between them.

AREAS OF CONFLICT

Trade imbalance is skewed in China’s favour viz. $52 billion when total trade volume was of the value of $84.44 billion in 2017

Border Disputes – India and China share about 3,488-km long border which is yet to be fully delineated. The skirmishes between the security forces of the two countries in Dokhlam, Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh are common in this disputed state of borders.

India supports a Tibetan govt. in exile formed by Dalai Lama which is unacceptable to china. China recently opposed to the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tawang, which it considers as Southern Tibet. On recent Visit of President Xi Jinping, Tibetian leaders in India were arrested.

China began the practice of issuing stapled visa to residents of Arunachal Pradesh and Pakistan occupied Jammu & Kashmir, though it stopped it for PoK but continues for AP.

China has an undeclared policy of String of Pearls to encircle India, which involves building of ports and naval bases around India’s maritime reaches. While India has been trying to develop closer arrangements with the countries surrounding China viz. Japan, South Korea & Vietnam.

China has been building dams in Tibet part of Brahmaputra. India has objected but there has been no formal treaty over sharing of the Brahmaputra water.

China has been blocking India’s entry to NSG & has also blocked India’s attempt at the UN for sanctions against Jash-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar many times but finally Masood Azhar was put on UN blacklist.

India considers building of the CPEC as China’s interference in India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.