The new land border law of China that aims to protect 'territorial integrity'

Beijing: Amid the ongoing standoff with India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, China on Saturday adopted a new law on the protection and exploitation of the land border areas. The law, which will come into effect from January 1 next year, was approved by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

The law, as per China's Global Times, stipulates that the "sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country are sacred and inviolable". It said that the law will allow China to take measures to safeguard its territorial integrity and land boundaries and "guard against and combat any acts that undermine territorial sovereignty and land boundaries".

It also said that military officials can use weapons against those who illegally cross borders to commit physical assault and get themselves engaged in violent activities. The law also directs citizens of China and other organisations to "support border patrol and control activities".

It "clarifies the leadership system, government responsibilities and military tasks in territorial border work, the delineation and surveying of land borders, the defense and management of land borders and frontiers, and the international cooperation on land border affairs," reported China's Global Times.

China's new land law comes at a time when it has been engaged in a standoff with India along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. India and China have held 13 rounds of military levels talks so far, but have failed to end the deadlock and have blamed each other for the volatile situation at the LAC.

Earlier this month, India had said that the peace and tranquillity in border areas with China have been "seriously disturbed", impacting the relationship between New Delhi and Beijing. It also said that India and China need to work together to determine the Asian century.

"For this to materialise, peace and tranquillity in the border areas is a sine qua non. He (Jaishankar) has also clearly articulated that development of our ties can only be based on mutuality -- mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests should guide this process," Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla was quoted as saying by news agency