India, China hold in-person border talks after 3 years

Beijing, Feb 23: For the first time since the India-China border conflict began in 2020, Indian diplomat in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) travelled to Beijing for the 26th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC).

 

This was the first WMCC meeting since the 14th meeting held in July 2019, to be held in person. Shilpak Ambule, Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs led the Indian delegation while the Chinese delegation was led by Director General of the Boundary & Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

 

11 WMCC meetings have taken place during the prolonged border conflict but all through video-conferencing.

 

MEA, in a statement, said "the two sides reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of India-China border areas and discussed proposals for disengagement in the remaining areas in an open and constructive manner, which would help in restoration of peace and tranquillity along the LAC in Western Sector and create conditions for restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations."

 

"To achieve this objective in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and protocols, they agreed to hold the next (18th) round of the Senior Commanders meeting at an early date. The two sides agreed to continue discussions through military and diplomatic channels," it added.

 

In Beijing, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a separate statement, saying the two sides reviewed the positive progress made in the early stage of China-India border control, affirmed the results of the disengagement of the two border troops in the Galwan Valley and other four locations. They had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on the approach for the next stage of consultation, it added.

 

The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was established in 2012 as an institutional mechanism for consultation and coordination for the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

 

The WMCC meeting in Beijing came a week before the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Delhi. Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang is expected to attend the meeting on March 1 and 2.

 

In line with a decision taken at the 16th round of military talks, the two sides carried out disengagement from Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area in September last year.

 

India has been maintaining that its ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas. The eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area in which 20 Indian Army soldiers martyred.