India, China Hold Diplomatic Talks, Agree To Uphold Peace On LAC

NEW DELHI: India and China on Wednesday agreed to uphold peace and tranquillity on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) during another round of diplomatic talks, though there were no signs of any breakthrough towards disengagement at friction points in Ladakh sector.

The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs met in New Delhi for the 16th time since the start of the standoff on the LAC in May 2020. The body last met in Beijing on March 28 and Wednesday’s talks followed two meetings between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi this month.

The two sides agreed to “jointly uphold peace and tranquillity on the ground in the border areas in accordance with relevant bilateral agreements, protocols and understandings reached between the two governments”, the external affairs ministry said in a statement after the talks.

Following up on the discussions between the two foreign ministers at their recent meetings at Astana and Vientiane, the two sides reviewed the current situation on the LAC “with a view to finding an early resolution of the outstanding issues”.

Referring to India’s stated position that the overall relationship with China cannot be normalised without addressing the situation on the disputed border, the statement added: “Restoration of peace and tranquillity, and respect for the LAC are an essential basis for restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations.”

The statement described the discussions as “in-depth, constructive and forward-looking”, but did not give details. Both sides also agreed to maintain the momentum through established diplomatic and military channels.

This was also 30th meeting of the WMCC since it was established in 2012. Joint secretary (East Asia) Gourangalal Das of the external affairs ministry led the Indian delegation, while the Chinese side was led by Hong Liang, director general of the boundary and oceanic department of China’s foreign ministry.

The leader of the Chinese delegation also met foreign secretary Vikram Misri, who earlier served as India’s envoy to Beijing.

The previous meeting of WMCC had also ended without breakthrough in addressing the remaining friction points at Demchok and Depsang, where troops from both sides remain deployed in close proximity to the LAC.

Dozens of rounds of diplomatic and military talks have resulted in the two sides withdrawing troops from other friction points such as the north and south banks of Pangong Lake, Gogra and Hot Spring.

There have been more than 20 rounds of talks between Indian and Chinese corps commanders. After the standoff began in May 2020, the WMCC first met virtually in June the same year, shortly after a brutal clash in Galwan Valley left 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops dead.

The first fatalities on the LAC in 45 years took bilateral relations to the lowest ebb since the 1962 border war between India and China. Both sides now have some 60,000 troops each arrayed along the LAC in Ladakh sector.

Earlier this week, Jaishankar acknowledged that India-China relations “are not doing very well” because Beijing moved a large number of forces to the border area in violation of agreements during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. This created tensions and led to a clash, and the consequences continue because the issue hasn’t been fully resolved, he said. (HT)