New Delhi:
India and China held a high-level meeting in Beijing today where both sides discussed the boundary issue is great detail. This was the 33rd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination or WMCC on India-China Border Affairs.
Representatives from both nations reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control or LAC. They also agreed on the early resumption of cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including on trans-border rivers and the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra.
The Indian delegation was led by Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the foreign ministry. The Chinese delegation was led by Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Beijing and New Delhi assured each other of making “substantial preparations” for the next meeting of their Special Representatives or SRs on the boundary question that is set to be held in Delhi this year.
After the meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs or MEA said that discussions were held in a “positive and constructive atmosphere” and both sides “comprehensively reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control”.
It further said that “The two sides explored various measures and proposals to give effect to the decisions taken during the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question in Beijing in December 2024 and to advance effective border management.”
Beijing and New Delhi also agreed to “maintain and strengthen” both diplomatic and military mechanisms in place to address issues along the LAC.
After the meeting, Mr Das, who led the Indian delegation, paid a courtesy visit to China’s Assistant Foreign Minister, Hong Lei.
Since October last year, when PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Russia’s Kazan, there has been an effort by both countries to return to the pre-2020 situation along the LAC in order to improve ties.
As recently as March 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during an interview to podcast host Lex Fridman, expressed optimism about India’s relationship with China. He emphasised the importance of Beijing and New Delhi learning from each other and understanding one another. PM Modi spoke about the importance of rebuilding trust, enthusiasm, and energy.
During the 3-hour-long interview, Prime Minister Modi acknowledged the ancient cultural and civilizational ties between India and China. He had noted that there was never a conflict between the two ancient neighbours in its several millenia-old history. He advocated for healthy competition between the two nations, but emphasised that competition should never turn into conflict.
China had welcomed PM Modi’s “positive” remarks, saying that a “dragon-elephant dance” cooperation is the only correct choice for the two neighbours. “Let me stress that in the 2000-plus years’ history of interactions, the two countries have maintained friendly exchanges and both the countries learned from each other, contributing to civilisational achievements and human progress,” the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry had said.
(Inputs from PTI and ANI)