China's military on Thursday expressed concern over India's plan to construct 54 new border posts in Arunachal Pradesh, saying India should not complicate the situation.
"We have noticed the relevant report. Dispute still exists in the eastern part of China-India border," Defence Ministry Spokesman Yang Yujin told a media briefing in Beijing, pointing to the Indian plan to build new border posts along the Arunachal Pradesh border.
"We urge the Indian side to do more to maintain peace and stability in the area and not take actions that may further complicate the situation," he said.
When asked why China was wary of India's infrastructure development along the border when the same has been carried out on the Chinese side, Yang said, "I think that the roads you are talking about are in the eastern part of the China-India border which is still a disputed area."
"China's position on the dispute in this area is clear and consistent," he said referring to China’s claim of Arunachal Pradesh being southern Tibet.
"It is an important consensus reached by the two sides to maintain peace and stability along the Line of Actual Control and both sides should do more towards converging direction rather than contrary," he said.
The Indian government last week announced the setting up of 54 new border outposts and an Rs 175 crore package for beefing up the infrastructure along the border in Arunachal Pradesh.
Yang's comments on the border posts and the road network along the Arunachal Pradesh border were in line with the views expressed by the Chinese foreign ministry earlier this month.
Reacting to the border posts plan, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying had earlier said that "pending the final settlement of the boundary question, we hope that the Indian side could refrain from taking any action that may complicate or exaggerate the question."
The Chinese foreign ministry has also reacted earlier on the plans announced by Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, to construct a road network along the international boundary from Mago-Thingbu in Tawang to Vijaynagar in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh to match China's infrastructure development.
"There is a dispute about the east part of the China-India border. Before final settlement is reached we hope that India will not take any action that may further complicate the situation," spokesman Hong Lei said on October 15.
Yang said that agreements like setting up hotlines between the two militaries and improving communications between the command posts reached during this month's meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination in New Delhi put very important and positive inputs into bilateral relations and can help to deal with the border issues in a timely manner.
