Pakistan, China launch joint boundary commission, India objects

More than a decade after it was first anticipated, the long-awaited "Joint Boundary Commission" between Pakistan and China has been formally launched. Pakistan described the initiative, launched on Wednesday, September 16, as a significant milestone in the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Islamabad said the new mechanism would play an important role in strengthening border management, expanding trade, and enhancing technical coordination.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the inaugural meeting of the joint commission was held at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad. Deputy Director-General Li Ya of the Boundary and Ocean Affairs Department at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Director-General Bilal Mahmood Chaudhry of the China Wing at Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs represented their respective delegations at the meeting.

The Foreign Ministry described the launch of the "Pakistan-China Joint Boundary Commission" as a significant milestone for bilateral relations. It said the commission would open up new opportunities for border management, joint boundary surveys, increasing trade flow, and enhancing people-to-people contact between the two countries.

The joint commission has been formed under Article 45 of the "Protocol on the Boundary Management System", which was signed during the visit of then Chinese premier Li Keqiang to Pakistan in 2013. Through the commission, regular inspection of border areas, maintenance of boundary pillars, joint surveys, management of border facilities, and resolution of untoward incidents at the border will be carried out under an institutional framework. It will also further consolidate trade and movement through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Khunjerab Pass.

The commission is entirely separate from the "Joint Boundary Determination Commission" formed under the China-Pakistan boundary agreement. The commission formed under the 1963 agreement, signed by then foreign minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Chinese foreign minister Chen Yi, was tasked with demarcating the boundary and preparing maps, work that concluded after the signing of the protocol.

The 2013 agreement and the current joint commission, on the other hand, have been formed to permanently monitor and manage the already determined boundary. Under its provisions, if a boundary pillar is destroyed or damaged, the commission can decide to relocate it to a new site while keeping the original boundary intact.

Meanwhile, India has rejected the joint initiative by Pakistan and China. Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We have seen the reports on this. Our position on this is clear and consistent. There is no boundary between Pakistan and China. We, therefore, completely reject this joint commission, which has no legal basis."

Despite India's objection, the two countries have decided to move forward through this institutional coordination on border matters.

Source: Dawn