Maintenance of peace at LAC is essential for development of ties: India tells China

Guangzhou (China), April 20: Amid the disengagement process, India has once again reiterated that maintenance of peace and tranquility in border areas is an essential basis for the development of India-China relations. It has also emphasized that there needed to be respected for mutual concerns and sensitivities and for each other's priorities.

 

 

Speaking at the Seventh ICWA (Indian Council of World Affairs)-CPIFA (Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs) virtual dialogue, Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri said, "Maintenance of peace and tranquility in border areas is an essential basis for the development of the bilateral relations. He underlined that there needed to be respected for mutual concerns and sensitivities and for each other's priorities".

 

 

India and China are engaged in a prolonged standoff in eastern Ladakh since May last year. Soldiers from both sides completed withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February. But the disengagement has not taken place yet from various other areas in eastern Ladakh.

 

 

"We must acknowledge that these enabling structures and the fundamental premise of the closer developmental partnership have been placed under considerable strain by the serious incidents and the resultant violation of peace and tranquility at the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh in April 2020 and thereafter," said Misri.

 

He also advised that the problem should not be sweeped inside a carpet as no problem will be resolved. In fact, it would be tantamount to running away from the problem and in a direction opposite to that where the promise of our closer development partnership lies," said the Indian envoy.

 

 

The Director-General of ICWA TCA Raghavan, President of CPIFA Wang Chao, Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong besides Misri took part in the dialogue. At the ICWA-CPIFA Dialogue, scholars from both sides discussed working together for a development agenda of mutual interest and jointly coping with the challenges of the changing international structure in the post-pandemic era.

 

Top Commanders of the two militaries held the 11th round of talks on April 9 to disengage the troops from Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang areas along LAC. The Indian Army statement said it was highlighted at the talks that completion of disengagement in other areas would pave the way for considering "de-escalation of forces" and ensure full restoration of peace and tranquillity in the region.