Last Updated: 01:52 IST(20/12/2010)
Reports in the official Chinese media that the Sino-Indian border is only 2000 km-long — excluding the 1,600-km stretch that separates Jammu & Kashmir from Xinjiang and Tibet — have created a flutter in the Indian media. New Delhi didn't react to these reports, and sources said the Chinese media has been putting the border length at 2000km for a long time now.
"The dispute on the length of the borderline was always there. There is nothing new in the media report," said Rong
Ying, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, a foreign ministry think-tank.
New Delhi maintains the boundary is 3,488-km long.
Ahead of Premier Wen Jiabao's visit, Xinuha had reported that the Sino-India border 2000 km based on an official briefing by assistant foreign minister of China, Hu Zhengye. The People's Daily had reported the same on January 7 this year. "The border issue stretches back to colonial British
rule. China and India share a nearly 2,000-km border and disputed areas cover about 125,000 sq km on both sides," it reported while covering the India-China defence dialogue. China Daily too mentioned the same in its report same day. The "2000-km-long" boundary was mentioned in China Daily in August 2009 in a report on the 13th round of boundary talks between the two sides.
There was no comment from the ministry of external affairs on the issue. Sources, however, pointed out that there are well-established systems in place to address the boundary issue and it's an on-going process. Chinese media reports after border talks in 2009 and through this year.
"There is no change in Chinese policy as far as I can see," said Rong.
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