New Delhi, Mar 28: Amid ongoing tensions along the border, India and China engaged in discussions regarding achieving complete disengagement and resolving issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas, as per an official press release from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday.
The 29th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) took place on Wednesday in Beijing, where both sides exchanged views. The meeting was co-chaired by the MEA Joint Secretary leading the Indian delegation and the Director General of the Boundary & Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs leading the Chinese delegation.
According to the official release, discussions revolved around achieving complete disengagement and resolving remaining issues along the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas.
Post the meeting, both sides agreed to keep diplomatic and military channels open to uphold peace and tranquility on the ground in the border areas.
The MEA stated, “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 28th meeting of the WMCC, held in November last year, saw a review of the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas. Both sides engaged in an open, constructive, and in-depth discussion on proposals to resolve remaining issues and achieve complete disengagement in Eastern Ladakh, as per an earlier MEA press release. They also emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility along the border areas to ensure a stable situation on the ground and prevent any untoward incidents.
Meanwhile, India reiterated its rejection of the “absurd claims” and “baseless arguments” made by China regarding Arunachal Pradesh, reaffirming that the northeast State is an “integral and inalienable part of India.”
In an official statement on March 19, the Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that the people of Arunachal Pradesh would “continue to benefit” from India’s development programs and infrastructure projects.
These comments from India came in response to recent statements by the Chinese defense ministry asserting China’s claim over Arunachal Pradesh, which it referred to as “Zangnan – an inherent part of China’s territory.” This came after India strongly rebutted China’s comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh.
