Beijing, July 25
Saying that it has not recognised Arunachal Pradesh as part of India, China today alleged that “Indian people” crossed the eastern sector of the Line of Actual Control in the north-eastern state and not its forces as claimed by New Delhi.

Denying a report published in a Delhi newspaper that Chinese forces had transgressed into Indian territory near the LAC when Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was visiting Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said China did not recognise Arunachal Pradesh as part of India.

“We have noted the relevant report. China does not recognise the so-called Arunachal Pradesh mentioned by the Indian newspaper report,” Kong said.

An External Affairs Ministry spokesman yesterday said that the Indian Government was aware of the transgression of the LAC by a Chinese patrol on June 26, 2003, in the Asaphila area of the upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh.

This is an area where there are differences in perception of the LAC between the two sides.

Kong said, “Regarding the incident mentioned, after investigations, we have found that the Indian side crossed the eastern sector of the LAC. At the request of the Chinese side, the Indian people who crossed the LAC, returned to the Indian side.”

China lays claim to 90,000 sq km of land in Arunachal Pradesh and does not recognise the north-eastern state as part of Indian territory.

India accuses China of occupying approximately 38,000 sq km of territory in Kashmir. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan ‘boundary agreement’ of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to China.

Officials from the two sides have met 15 times since late 1980s in an effort to find a peaceful solution to the border dispute.

However, little progress has been achieved, with both sides only managing to exchange sample maps of the middle sector, the least contentious among the eastern, middle and western sectors.

Taking into account the lack of progress, during Mr Vajpayee’s visit to China, both governments appointed a special representative to explore from the political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship, the framework of a boundary settlement.

While India appointed National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra as its special representative, China named Executive Vice-Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo as its special representative.

The two sides had also agreed on the continued maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas and continued implementation of the 1993 and 1996 agreements, including clarification of the LAC.