Informal Note given by the Indian Foreign Secretary to the Chinese Ambassador, 18 October 1958
The attention of the Government of India has recently been drawn to the fact that a motor road has been constructed by the Government of the People's Republic of China across the eastern part of the Ladakh region of the Jammu and Kashmir State, which is part of India. This road seems to form part of the Chinese road known as Yehcheng-Gartok road or Sinkiang-Tibet highway, the completion of which was announced in September, 1957. The road enters Indian territory just east of Sarigh Jilgnang, runs north-west to Amtogar and striking the western bank of the Amtogar lake runs north-west through Yangpa, Khitai Dawan and Haji Langar which are all in indisputable Indian territory. Near the Amtogar lake several branch tracks have also been made motorable.
2. The India-China boundary in the Ladakh sector as in others is traditionally well-known and follows well marked geographical features. The territory which the road traverses has been part of the Ladakh region of India for centuries and the "old established frontiers" have been accepted by the Chinese in a Treaty of 1842 as the international boundary. In an official communication, a Chinese member of the Boundary Commission of 1847-49 accepted the boundary as "sufficiently and distinctly fixed so that it will be best to adhere to this ancient arrangement and it will prove far more convenient to abstain from any additional measures for fixing them". Accordingly, Indian survey parties have visited the region since the nineteenth century. Travelers to the area have referred to it as part of Ladakh, and Atlases like the Johnston's Atlas of India, edition 1894, and maps published by the Survey of India show it unmistakably as part of Ladakh.
3. In view of the position indicated in para. 2 above, it is a matter of surprise and regret that the Chinese Government should have constructed a road through indisputably Indian territory without first obtaining the permission of the Government of India and without even informing the Government of India.
4. The Government of India would like to point out that Chinese personnel, including officials and workers engaged in constructing and maintaining the road, as well as Chinese travelers traversing this road have been contravening Article V of the Agreement between the People's Republic of China and India on Trade and Intercourse with Tibet concluded in 1954. According to this Article "for traveling across the border, the High Contracting Parties agree that diplomatic personnel, officials and nationals of the two countries shall hold passport issued by their own respective countries and visaed by the Other Party" except as provided in the subsequent paragraphs of the Article relating to traders, pilgrims and multeers. No applications for visas from Chinese personnel working on the road or from Chinese travellers traversing this road have ever been received by the Government of India.
5. As the Chinese Government are aware, the Government of India are anxious to settle these petty frontier disputes so that the friendly relations between the two countries may not suffer. The Government of India would therefore be glad for an early reply from the Tibetan Government.
6. In this connection the Government of India would also like to draw the attention of the Chinese Government to another fact. An Indian party consisting of three Military Officers and four soldiers together with one Guide, one porter, six pony-owners and thirty-four ponies, were out on a normal patrol in this area near Shinglung in Indian territory. This patrol had been given strict instructions not to cross the border into Chinese territory. Since the end of August, however, no news of their whereabouts has been received in spite of search by air. Since there are now Chinese personnel in this part of Indian territory the Government of India would be grateful for any information that the Chinese Government may have about the party and for any assistance that they may find it possible to give to the party to return to their headquarters.
From: India. Ministry of External Affairs. Notes, Memoranda and Letters Exchanged Between the Governments of India and China, 1954-1959. White Paper No. I. N.p., n.d., 26-27.