New Delhi (NVI): India and China are maintaining military and diplomatic engagements to peacefully resolve the border issue at the earliest so as to ensure peace and tranquility along the Line of Control (LAC), External Affairs Ministry said today.
“This is essential for the further development of Indian-China bilateral relations,” the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said today during weekly MEA briefing.
He also mentioned the earlier June 6 meeting of top military commanders of the two countries in Chushul-Moldo region in Eastern Ladakh.
“A meeting was held between the Corps Commanders of India and China on 6th June 2020 in the Chushul-Moldo region. This meeting was in continuation of the diplomatic and military engagements which both sides have maintained to address the situation in areas along the India-China border. It was agreed that an early resolution of the situation would be in keeping with the guidance of the leaders.,” he said.
At the meeting held on June 6 at the level of Lt General, the Indian side was led by Commander of Leh-based 14 Corps Lt Gen Harinder Singh and the Chinese side was led by South Xinjiang Military District Commander Major General Liu Lin. This meeting took place after the ones at lower levels, including at the level of Major General, did not result in any resolution.
On June 5, senior officials of the foreign ministries of the two countries held talks and both sides agreed that they should handle the differences through “peaceful discussion”.
The talks were held via video conference between Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Indian External Affairs Ministry and Wu Jianghao, Director General in Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The two sides also held Major General-level talks yesterday, which lasted over four hours.
“The two sides are, therefore, maintaining their military and diplomatic engagements to peacefully resolve the situation at the earliest as also to ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas. This is essential for the further development of Indian-China bilateral relations,” Srivastava said in the press briefing today.
The military stand-off in the Ladakh sector was triggered after China objected to the construction of a road by India on its side of the LAC, claiming that it is their territory. Since then, both sides have mobilised thousands of troops who are in eyeball-to-eyeball situation.
