The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated in an official press statement on Thursday that amid border tensions, China and India discussed strategies for reaching total disengagement and resolving the concerns along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of India-China border areas.
29th Meeting of India-China Border Affairs Working Mechanism Held in Beijing
This comes as the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) held its 29th meeting on Wednesday in Beijing, the capital of China.
The Chinese team was led by the Director General of the Boundary & Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the Indian delegation was led by the MEA Joint Secretary, according to the official announcement.
The Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) held its 29th meeting in Beijing on March 27, 2024. The Indian delegation was led by the Joint Secretary (East Asia) of the Ministry of External Affairs. The director general of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Boundary & Oceanic Department headed the Chinese team, according to the press release.
India-China Discuss Total Disengagement and Peace Along LAC in Western Sector
“The two sides engaged in a thorough discussion about how to accomplish total disengagement and settle any outstanding issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the border areas between China and India’s Western Sector,” the statement continued.
Following the conference, both parties decided to maintain the peace and quiet in the border regions by keeping diplomatic and military channels open.
As per the Ministry, “both sides agreed to uphold peace and tranquility on the ground in the border areas in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and protocols and to maintain regular contact through diplomatic and military channels in the interim.”
Also Read: Reliance and Adani sign 20-year PPA for 500MW captive power
India Rejects China’s Claims on Arunachal Pradesh, Emphasizes Border Stability
The MEA said in a press release that the 28th meeting of the WMCC took place in November of last year. During that meeting, the two sides examined the state of affairs along the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas and had an open, fruitful, and thorough discussion of proposals to settle the outstanding problems and achieve full disengagement in Eastern Ladakh.
They also concurred that it is imperative to preserve calm and tranquility along the border regions, guarantee stability on the ground, and prevent any unfavorable incidents.
China’s “absurd claims” and “baseless arguments” about Arunachal Pradesh have been rejected by India once more, which maintains that the northeastern State is a “integral and inalienable part of India.”
In a formal statement released on March 19, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that Arunachal Pradesh’s citizens will “continue to benefit” from India’s infrastructure and development initiatives.
Recently, the Chinese Ministry of Defense reaffirmed China’s territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, referring to the Indian State as “Zangan—an inherent part of China’s territory.””China never recognizes and firmly opposes India’s illegal establishment of the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh,'” Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang stated on March 15. Zhang Xiaogang is the spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense.
The remarks from the Chinese military were made just a few days after India strongly retaliated against China for remarks it had made against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visitation to Arunachal Pradesh.
