BEIJING: China’s defence ministry on Thursday expressed concern over reports that India plans to build 54 new border posts along their disputed border, long a source of tension between the two giant neighbours.

China defeated India in a brief war in 1962 and the border has remained unresolved since, despite 17 rounds of talks. The two armies cannot even agree on the location of the Line of Actual Control, the ceasefire line following the 1962 fighting, leading to face-offs between border patrols.

In September, India eased curbs on building roads and military facilities within 100 km of the contested border in its remote northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, so as to speed construction of 6,000 km of roads.

The move came as Chinese President Xi Jinping visited India, in an effort to defuse the deep distrust between both countries, despite growing trade and business ties.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2014