AMN / WEB DESK
China today said, currently the border situation between China and India is ‘generally’ stable and the two sides are maintaining dialogue and communication through diplomatic and military channels to work for an easing of border situation. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said this in response to a question on the latest situation in border areas without giving more details on the progress in the stalled border talks. As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in the Gogra area in August and in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in February. The two sides held the 12th round of military talks on July 31 which resulted in the disengagement process in Gogra. This was seen as a significant forward movement towards the restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas, but 13th round of talks in October failed to make any progress in the disengagement.
A day before on Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at a symposium in Beijing on the International Situation and China’s Foreign Relations in 2021 said, China and India have maintained dialogue thru diplomatic and military channels, effectively managed and controlled frictions in certain border areas, under a shared commitment to improving and developing the bilateral relations. Wang’s brief remarks on the India-China border issue came at his year-end speech highlighting China’s diplomatic efforts in international relations, amid a tense long-drawn border row between the two countries in eastern Ladakh. The more than 18 months-long border standoff at Eastern Ladakh has pushed the bilateral relations between the two countries to a historic low which was triggered by transgressions and unreasonable build-up by the Chinese military starting in April 2020 and thousands of troops of both sides still deployed in forward areas. Incidentally, on Monday, India has also announced its new envoy to China, Pradeep Kumar Rawat who is expected to take up his assignment in Beijing shortly.