High-level talks, the right path to resolve China-India border disputes

The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 7 issued a statement saying that, in recent weeks, India and China have maintained communication through available diplomatic and military channels to resolve the tense month-long confrontation along their shared border.

Two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas. (Source: Business Standard)
Two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas. (Source: Business Standard)

The regional and international public welcomed the move, considering it as the correct path to maintain peace and stability in the region.

According to Indian media, Indian and Chinese military commanders held a high-level meeting with a positive approach on June 6, indicating that the two sides are expecting to address the standoff between troops at four points in eastern Ladakh through peaceful dialogue. The Indian delegation was led by Lieut. Gen. Harinder Singh, the Leh-based 14 Corps Commander, while the Chinese delegation was led by South Xinjiang Military District Commander Maj. Gen. Liu Lin.

Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted a senior Indian military officer as saying that the talks took place in a positive atmosphere. The Indian delegation requested the restoration of the status quo in all sensitive areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and asked the Chinese side to withdraw reinforcements from these areas.

The talks came a day after India and China held a diplomatic meeting in which the two sides agreed to resolve disagreements through peaceful negotiations, while respecting sensitive issues and each other’s concerns.

In a recent interview granted to CNN, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh admitted that differences still remain over border issues between China and India. In late May, Beijing deployed a significant number of troops to the border area. In response, India also sent an additional 5,000 soldiers to the Ladakh region in the Himalayas to strengthen the forces defending the land along the LAC, currently considered the borderline with China.

The statement by the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the high-level meeting between Indian and Chinese armies took place in a cordial and positive atmosphere. The two sides agreed to peacefully resolve the situation in the border areas in accordance with various bilateral agreements and keeping in mind the agreement between the leaders that peace and tranquillity in the India-China border regions is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations.

The two sides also noted that this year marks the 70th founding anniversary of China-India diplomatic ties and agreed that the prompt settlement of the situation will contribute to further developing relations between the two countries. Accordingly, India and China will continue their military and diplomatic engagement to address the situation and ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

Prior to the aforementioned high-level military dialogue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian confirmed that China and India have maintained regular diplomatic and military communication channels on the issues in the border areas, emphasising that the border situation between the two countries is generally stable and under control. He also expressed his belief that the problems between China and India can be satisfactorily resolved through negotiations.

The high-level military talks between China and India are a significant event, as they can pave the way for the handling of the tense confrontation through negotiations. The regional and international public welcomed and spoke highly of India and China’s commitment to dialogue through military and diplomatic channels in order to peacefully resolve existing disagreements in the border areas.