Stalemate continues as India-China hold fresh border talks in Beijing

India and China had an “in-depth exchange of views on how to achieve complete disengagement” on remaining friction points at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh during Wednesday’s fresh round of talks in Beijing, with no sign of any breakthrough since the Galwan face off in 2020.

The Indian delegation at the 29th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) in Beijing was led by the Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs. While the Chinese delegation was led by the Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the MEA pointed out in a statement on Thursday.

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‘In-depth exchange of views’

In the statements issued by both countries post-meeting, MEA said that the “in-depth exchange of views” was held on how to “achieve complete disengagement” at the LAC. On the other hand, the Chinese statement referred to an “in-depth exchange of views” but stated that those were on the “ideas of work for the next stage”.

“The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on how to achieve complete disengagement and resolve the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of India-China border areas,” read MEA statement.

It also stated that “In the interim, both sides agreed to maintain regular contact through diplomatic and military channels and on the need to uphold peace and tranquility on the ground in the border areas in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and protocols.”

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs too released a statement and said, “Both sides positively evaluated the progress made in the management and control of the situation in the China-India border area, and had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on the ideas of work for the next stage.”

Both the countries “agreed to focus on the relevant issues on the ground along the border, reach a solution acceptable to both sides as soon as possible, and promote the transition of the border situation into a normalised phase of control and management,” Beijing said.

The two sides are still resolve two friction points at Depsang and Demochok in eastern Ladakh, with well-equipped troops of both the countries facing each other in an aggressive deployment.

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