Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
31 October 2024 | 12:35 CAT
4-minute read

Border tensions between India and China de-escalate after troops withdrawn from key areas along disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC)

The withdrawal of troops, a major outcome of the BRICS summit held in Russia last week, signifies improving bilateral ties between the two countries and an end to the four-year stalemate at the contested border areas.

After weeks of discussions involving military negotiators as well as Indian and Chinese diplomats, an accord on patrolling arrangements along the LAC on the India-China border was reached.

Since the announcement of the agreement on the eve of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia for the BRICS summit, both countries have withdrawn troops from several friction points along the LAC, particularly in eastern Ladakh. The disengagement has focused on areas like Gogra Hot Springs and parts of the Pangong Lake region, where both sides had fortified positions.

A disagreement between the two countries surfaced in July 2020, when a military clash reportedly killed twenty Indian and four Chinese soldiers on the western sector, which lies between Ladakh on the Indian side and the Tibet and Xinjiang regions on the Chinese side.

It is not clear whether the accord means that India and China will withdraw the tens of thousands of additional troops stationed along key points of the disputed border in the eastern Ladakh region since the 2020 military clash.

The LAC notional demarcation line between the two regional powers is a border in the Himalayas. With a length of 3 488km, it separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory and was introduced by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in 1959. The term later came to refer to the boundary formed after the Sino-Indian conflict in 1962.  Now, the LAC refers to the disputed, de facto boundary separating the countries and is divided into the western, middle, and eastern sectors.

“This reduction in tensions at the border suggests that they’ve been able to come to some kind of agreement,” Sanusha Naidu said on Radio Islam’s  Asia-Pacific Report earlier today. “Both India and China have decided to remove their troops from that border area and try to find subtlety towards making sure that the tensions between the two countries in terms of the disputed border areas is no longer seen as a key issue.”

China to implement zero-tariff policy for all imports from world’s least developed countries (LDCs) that have diplomatic ties to China

The policy aims to boost China’s commitment to increase trade relations with at least 43 LDCs, 33 of which are African countries. The announcement is resultant of the FOCAC summit held in September 2024 and will enable LDCs to access China’s market- a move that is expected to give Beijing more influence in global trade and lower shipping costs from parts of Asia and Africa.

Naidu said that it marks the first major step for China, which is considered a global economic powerhouse, and expands market access for Africa’s agricultural products.

While the tariff scheme will apply to every import category, Naidu said that non-tariff barriers remain unclear.

“The downside is that it’s not clear what these products are going to be. And secondly, the zero-tariffing treatment to these products has not necessarily made more clear the non-tariff boundaries,” Naidu said.

Non-tariff barriers (NTBs) are obstacles to international trade that are not import or export duties. China has reportedly used sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures as a non-tariff barrier to restrict trade.

An example is China’s use of foot and mouth disease (FMD) as an SPS to stop exports from Africa to China. China imposed restrictions on South African meat imports due to FMD multiple times, with notable bans beginning around 2019 and extending intermittently in subsequent years. By invoking SPS regulations, China argued that these restrictions were necessary to protect its own livestock and agricultural health standards. While compliant with World Trade Organisation (WTO) regulations on SPS measures, the tactic has been seen as a form of NTB impacting South Africa’s agricultural export market.

“South Africa is one of those countries where they had to negotiate with China around how to ensure that our beef industry doesn’t get caught up in that. If there’s a foot and mouth disease outbreak in one of our abattoirs, it doesn’t mean that it affects every abattoir,” Naidu explained.

Potential extended political crisis in Bangladesh as doubts surface over Hasina’s resignation

It remains unclear whether Sheikha Hasina formally resigned after she absconded earlier this year, which raises complications for leadership in Bangladesh and has triggered calls for new elections in the midst of economic volatility.

On August 5, Hasina left for India after student protests unseated her 15-year administration, which was marred by allegations of electoral fraud and human rights violations. Now, calls are being made for President Mohammed Shahabuddin to resign after he made comments that raised doubts about former Prime Minister Hasina’s resignation.

President Shahabudin reportedly said that he had not seen Hasina’s resignation letter, provoking anger from the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus as well as student activists.

“This in itself created another burden in terms of where is the whole issue of her resignation. How does it fit into the idea that there needs to be new elections held because there’s an interim government in place,” Naidu said, adding that the issue could extend the political crisis in the country.

According to the Constitution of Bangladesh, Hasina will remain as the de facto prime minister in the absence of a formal resignation. The parliament, where Hasina’s party the Awami League has a majority, will have to amend the constitution if fresh elections are held.

Listen to the Asia-Pacific Report on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.