Nepal's Foreign Ministry Refutes Media Reports Of Border Dispute With China

NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th June, 2020) Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday has refuted media reports of an ongoing dispute with China over the issue of missing boundary markers on the border between the countries, which resulted in a parliamentary resolution being passed.

On Wednesday, lawmakers from the opposition Nepali Congress party managed to pass a resolution in parliament urging the government to reclaim territory, which they claim China has seized unlawfully. Based on media reports, the lawmakers stated that several boundary markers on the 879-mile-long border were missing or had been moved in the direction of Nepal.

"Boundary Markers No. 37 and 38 reported as missing in the media reports have never been erected as agreed between the two countries owing to natural conditions," Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The ministry urged media outlets to verify their information before publishing, adding that untrue reports could lead to a deterioration in relations between Kathmandu and Beijing.

"The Ministry requests the media to verify the information from the relevant authorities before commenting on such sensitive matters which may adversely affect the relations between the two friendly neighbors," the ministry said.

Deadly clashes between Chinese and Indian troops broke out on June 15 in the Galwan Valley, where the Indian region of Ladakh borders China's Aksai Chin region. Both sides suffered casualties during the clashes, and Beijing and New Delhi have both blamed each other for the outbreak of hostilities.