China and India describe new round of consultations on border issues as constructive
NEW DELHI / BEIJING (Sputnik) – Chinese and Indian military described as “constructive” the new round of bilateral consultations that seek to defuse the situation in the so-called Current Line of Control that separates the two nations.
The eighth bilateral meeting at the corps commander level was held on November 6 in the Indian village of Chushul in Ladakh.
A joint statement released by the Defense Ministries of China and India notes that “the two sides had a sincere, in-depth and constructive exchange of views on the separation of troops along the Current Line of Control in the western sector of border areas “.
“Both sides agreed to implement in good faith the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, ensure it their front-line troops act with restraint and avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations. Both sides agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels and, by pushing forward the discussions at this meeting, to promote the solution of other pending issues in order to jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas. They also agreed to hold another round of meetings soon, “the statement said.
China and India dispute a part of the mountainous territory in the north of the Kashmir region, in addition to about 60,000 square kilometers in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. The Current Line of Control, which separates the two countries, passes through the Ladakh region.
The situation in Ladakh worsened in May 2020 after some 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers clashed in the Pangong Tso area. The violence, which lasted until the following day, caused more than 100 injuries on both sides and ended after a meeting of local leaders.
Both nations then deployed additional troops to the area.
On June 15 there was a new confrontation near the Galwan River that left dozens of soldiers killed and wounded from both sides.
To normalize the situation, the military and diplomatic leaders of India and China held several rounds of consultations, thanks to which their troops returned to almost the same positions they had occupied before the escalation.
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