Border Issue
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the importance of placing the border issue between China and India at an “appropriate place” within their bilateral relations during a meeting with India’s National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, in Beijing on Wednesday.
According to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, both officials reaffirmed their commitment to resolving the border dispute with a solution that would be fair and mutually acceptable.
They also discussed the importance of strengthening routine controls and management along the border to ensure peace in the region.
This meeting comes after a significant agreement two months ago aimed at reducing military tensions at a contested area along the China-India border. Wang Yi urged both sides to engage in open communication, enhance mutual trust, and foster greater collaboration.
The officials emphasized that the two countries were committed to finding a comprehensive solution that could address their border concerns.
Wednesday’s talks were notable as they marked the first formal discussions between the two countries’ special representatives on border issues since late 2019.
The meeting followed an agreement reached in October to disengage troops from two face-off points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which had been a source of tension for years.
The 3,500-kilometre-long border between the two countries has long been a contentious issue, with both nations accusing each other of trying to gain control over disputed territories.
The relationship between China and India has been marked by intense geopolitical rivalry, and tensions have often flared. A particularly violent clash in 2020, which occurred in the Himalayan borderlands, resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers, plunging bilateral relations to a new low.
However, both sides have recently taken steps to ease tensions. In October, India and China reached an agreement on conducting patrols in disputed areas.
This agreement paved the way for a rare meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signaling a possible thaw in relations.
The border issue remains one of the most critical and sensitive aspects of Sino-Indian relations, and this latest round of talks reflects the ongoing efforts to manage and resolve these longstanding tensions.
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