China can't stop India from developing Northeast region, says Amit Shah

Ranchi: BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday asserted India’s sovereign right to develop the country within its boundaries, dismissing China’s objection to Japan showing interest in investment in the Northeast region.

“It is our sovereign right to develop the country inside our boundaries and we will utilise that right,” Mr Shah told reporters here.

Reacting to Japan’s push for stepping up investments in the northeastern states, China had on Friday said that it was opposed to the involvement of a third-party in the resolution of the Sino-India boundary disputes or any foreign investments in areas over which it has claims in the region.

A joint statement, issued by India and Japan on Thursday following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, had announced the setting up of Act East Forum and referred to plans to take up infrastructure projects in the northeastern states.

Reacting to it, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying had said, “You also mentioned Act East policy. You must be clear that the boundary of India and China border area has not been totally delimited. We have disputes on the eastern section of the boundary.”

“We are now trying to seek a solution through negotiations that is acceptable to both sides. Under such circumstances, various parties should respect such aspects and any third party should not be involved in our efforts to resolve the disputes,” she said.