India and China jointly reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of the border areas on Wednesday. The review was done at the 26th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) in Beijing, China. The two sides also discussed disengagement proposals along the border.
The two sides also agreed to hold the next (18th) round of the Senior Commanders meeting soon.
This was first time that the meeting happened in person since July 2019. Both sides could not hold the WMCC in physical format even at the peak of the border crisis in June 2020.
Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs Shilpak Ambule led the Indian delegation. The Chinese side was led by Hong Liang, Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of China.
Both sides expressed positive views on the successful disengagements achieved by their border troops and recognized the accomplishments made through previous diplomatic and military communication. They both showed willingness to take further measures to ease tensions at the border and transition from emergency response to normalized management and control. Ambule and Liang also discussed proposals for disengagement in the remaining areas in an open and constructive manner.
The parties had an extensive discussion about specific mutual concerns, exchanged constructive proposals, and agreed to convene the 17th round of the China-India Corps Commander Level Meeting soon. Both sides affirmed their commitment to implementing the important consensus reached by their leaders, adhering strictly to signed agreements and protocols, and honouring related agreements to jointly uphold peace and tranquillity in border areas.
The Indo-Sino border, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), has been a source of tension for decades, with both sides claiming territory that is currently under the other's control. In 2020, the conflict escalated with a violent clash in the Galwan Valley, resulting in casualties on both sides.
Since then, both countries have engaged in diplomatic and military talks to ease tensions and resolve the border dispute. However, progress has been slow, and both sides remain wary of each other's intentions.
The conflict has had significant implications for the region, with both countries increasing their military presence in the border area and engaging in a show of force. The dispute has also led to calls for a boycott of Chinese goods in India and strained diplomatic relations between the two countries.