Progress made on border standoff

INDIA and China said yesterday that they had made progress disengaging front-line troops from a months-long standoff along part of their border.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke to Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on the phone on Sunday evening, and the two sides agreed to avoid further escalation in the Galwan Valley, China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement yesterday.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between China and India. Wang said both sides should value the development in the bilateral relations.

The right and wrong of the severe situation in the Galwan Valley is very clear, Wang said, referring to the deadly clashes on June 15.

China will firmly safeguard its territorial integrity and sovereignty and defend the peace and stability along the border, he continued.

Wang also said China hopes the Indian government would guide public opinion and maintain and improve normal exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

The statement said Wang and Doval had an in-depth exchange on the border issue and reached a four-point consensus.

The two countries acknowledge that maintaining peace and stability along the border is vital to the bilateral relations, and the two sides agreed to avoid escalating “disagreement,” it said.

Secondly, they agreed to abide by recent agreements made by two sides and to work together to ease tension. Thirdly, they agreed to strengthen negotiation through diplomatic channels in order to build trust and avoid future clashes.

Fourthly, the two sides agreed to speed up implementing the agreements reached at military commander-level meetings and to finish the “disengagement” of both countries’ troops as soon as possible.

India’s Foreign Ministry also said the representatives agreed that “maintenance of peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas was essential for the further development of our bilateral relations.”

An Indian Defense Ministry official told The Associated Press that Chinese troops were observed “removing tents and structures” near the Galwan Valley along the border.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the two sides “made positive progress in disengaging frontline troops and easing the border situation with effective measures” in a third round of military talks on June 30.

(Agencies)