BEIJING: Japan may be walking out of the programme for building border roads in Arunachal Pradesh. An indication on this count was available on Tuesday when Chinese foreign ministry indicated it had sought a clarification from Japan about its road building plans in India.

"We inquired about the project," ministry spokesman Hong Lei asked in response to a question. "Japan clarified that its cooperation with India was not in the disputed border area."

The issue may have been discussed during the first meeting between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing on November 10, sources said.

Reports in the Indian media earlier suggested that the government was keen to give Japan International Corporration Agency (JICA) the contract to build the 1,800-km long border road passing through different states including Arunachal Pradesh, which is claimed by China. For obvious reasons, China has not been invited to handle this task.

There is no clarification yet from the Indian government about whether Japan wants to stay out of road building in the border area between India and China.

From China’s viewpoint, road construction by a foreign company in Arunachal Pradesh will legitimize India’s claim over it. The situation would be similar to Chinese infrastructure building in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, which is claimed by India. Beijing does not want to see this happen, sources said.

The new development will force India to review its program for border roads, sources said. Japanese companies are also competing with their Chinese counterparts for other Indian projects in the railway sector.

