Referring to the withdrawal of troops from four places including the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday that during their meeting in Russia, India and China have agreed to work together to improve bilateral relations.
According to a press release issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks on the sidelines of a meeting of high-level officials responsible for security matters in BRICS member countries in St. Petersburg, Russia on Thursday. During this, both sides discussed the progress made in recent discussions on border issues.
When China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning was asked during a press conference whether the two countries are close to clearing the ice that has frozen bilateral relations for more than four years due to the military standoff in eastern Ladakh? On this, Mao said that both the armies have withdrawn from four areas and the situation on the border remains stable.
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The armies of both the countries retreated from four areas- China
Mao said, “In recent years, the front-line troops of the two countries have completed the retreat in four areas in the western sector of the China-India border, including the Galwan Valley. The situation on the China-India border is generally stable and under control.” His remarks came a day after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Geneva that about 75 percent of the “problems related to the withdrawal of troops” with China had been resolved, but the bigger issue was the increasing militarization on the border.
Giving detailed information about the meeting between Doval and Wang, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a release that both sides expressed the belief that the stability of China-India relations is in the fundamental and long-term interest of the people of both countries and is conducive to regional peace and development.
Agreed on promoting bilateral relations
It said that China and India have agreed to implement the consensus reached by the heads of the two countries, enhance mutual understanding and trust, maintain continuous communication and promote bilateral relations. Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stressed that facing a turbulent world, China and India, as two ancient Eastern civilizations and emerging developing countries, should uphold independence, choose unity and cooperation, and avoid exploiting each other, state news agency Xinhua reported.
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Wang expressed hope that the two sides will properly handle their differences from a pragmatic perspective and find the right ways to work together and bring China-India relations back on the track of healthy, stable and sustainable development. He said that during Thursday’s meeting, both Wang and Doval discussed the progress made in recent consultations on border issues and agreed to carry forward the consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries, enhance mutual understanding and trust, create conditions for improving bilateral relations and maintain dialogue in this direction.
Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
A press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India and China on Thursday agreed to work with ‘urgency’ and ‘redouble’ their efforts to achieve the goal of complete withdrawal of troops from the remaining points of conflict in eastern Ladakh. The release said that in the meeting, Doval told Wang that peace and stability in the border areas and respect for the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are essential for the return of normalcy in bilateral relations.
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