china-says-positive-progress-in-resolving-border-tensions-with-india

China and India have reported "positive progress" in resolving their border standoff, with ongoing close communication through diplomatic and military channels, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday.

 

Ning's comments came in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent statement stressing the urgency of addressing the prolonged situation at the borders and highlighting the importance of ties between the two countries.

 

Earlier in an interview, Prime Minister Modi expressed hope that through positive and constructive bilateral engagement at the diplomatic and military levels, the two countries will be able to restore and sustain peace and tranquillity at their borders.

 

"China and India are in close communication through diplomatic and military channels to address issues related to the border situation, and have achieved positive progress," stated Mao during a media briefing in response to a question on Modi’s interview .

 

“China believes that a sound and stable relationship is in the interest of both China and India,” she said.

 

“We hope that India will work with China to place the boundary question appropriately in bilateral relations and manage it properly, and put the relationship on a sound and steady track,” Mao said.

 

The relations between India and China have been strained since the eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted in May 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong Tso area.

 

Both sides have engaged in 21 rounds of corps commander-level talks to resolve the standoff.

 

The relations between India and China have been frozen except for trade ties ever since the eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong Tso (lake) area.

 

The two sides have so far held 21 rounds of corps commander-level talks to resolve the standoff.

 

This is the second time in as many days that China has reacted to Modi’s interview.

 

“It is my belief that we need to urgently address the prolonged situation on our borders so that the abnormality in our bilateral interactions can be put behind us,” Modi said in his interview.

 

“Stable and peaceful relations between India and China are important for not just our two countries but the entire region and world,” he said.

 

Mao while responding to a question on Modi’s interview on Thursday said that China noted Prime Minister Modi’s remarks.

 

“Sound and stable China-India relations serve the interests of both countries and are conducive to peace and development in the region and beyond,” she said.

 

Regarding the boundary question, Mao restated China's position that it should be appropriately placed within bilateral relations and managed effectively. 

 

“We hope that India will work with China, approach the bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, keep building trust and engage in dialogue and cooperation, and seek to handle differences appropriately to put the relationship on a sound and stable track,” she said.

 

However, India has maintained that until the border tension is resolved, normalcy in relations cannot be restored.

 

The two sides have agreed to disengage from several points, including the Galwan Valley, Pangong Lake, Hot Springs, and Jianan Daban (Gogra). However, India continues to press for disengagement in the Depsang and Demchok areas.

 

The situation remains sensitive, with both countries accentuating the importance of dialogue, cooperation, and strategic engagement.

India- China border

 

India shares a 3488 km border with China, spanning the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.

 

However, this border is not fully and officially demarcated.

 

Instead, the Line of Actual Control (LAC) serves as the de facto border, separating Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory.

 

The LAC is divided into three sectors: western (Ladakh, Kashmir), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh), and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh).

 

However, differing perceptions regarding the alignment of the LAC have led to disagreements between the two countries.

 

China has made territorial claims in several areas along the LAC. India claims the LAC to be 3488 km long, while China estimates it to be around 2000 km.

 

This discrepancy in perception often leads to conflicts, as both armies patrol up to their respective perceptions of the LAC, seeking to dominate the disputed areas.