China’s border law

Subject – IR

Context – China’s new law on land borders, passed on October 23, came into effect on January 1.

Concept –

The Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress passed the law for the “protection and exploitation of the country’s land border areas”.
It mandates the state to take measures “to strengthen border defence, support economic and social development as well as opening-up in border areas, improve public services and infrastructure in such areas, encourage and support people’s life and work there, and promote coordination between border defence and social, economic development in border areas”.
- This means that it is encouraging the development of villages for civilians in the border areas.
However, the law also asks the state to follow the principles of “equality, mutual trust, and friendly consultation, handle land border related-affairs with neighbouring countries through negotiations to properly resolve disputes and longstanding border issues”.
The law lays down four conditions under which the state can impose emergency measures, including border shutdown.

Impact on India –

China and India share a disputed 3,488-km boundary, the third longest among China’s 22,457-km land boundaries with 14 countries, after the borders with Mongolia and Russia.
Besides India, Bhutan (477 km) is the only other country with which China has a disputed land border.