Dispute persists, but India, China commit to disengage

NEWDELHI/BEIJING: India and China said on Friday they will push forward efforts aimed at complete disengagement and easing of tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), even as differences persisted between the two sides on issues such as Galwan Valley.

In a separate but related development, the Chinese envoy to India called for maintaining peace along the disputed border until both sides found a “reasonable solution” and for a “win-win” bilateral relationship, but warned against measures aimed at “decoupling” the two economies.

Following the third virtual meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs since the standoff began in early May, both sides issued similarly worded statements focused on progress in the disengagement and de-escalation process that began last weekend after a phone call between the Special Representatives on the boundary issue – India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.

People familiar with developments, speaking on condition of anonymity, drew a distinction between positions adopted by the two sides on contentious issues such as China’s claim on Galwan Valley, and the process of disengagement involving meetings of corps commanders and mechanisms such as WMCC.

“This meeting of WMCC reviewed the progress in disengagement and de-escalation and agreed communications will continue. WMCC monitors the disengagement according to the roadmap drawn up by the military commanders, who are set to meet again next week,” said one of the people cited above.

“The positions of the two sides on issues such as Galwan Valley haven’t changed. We have made it clear that we aren’t ceding any ground on such issues,” the person added.

The Indian readout following the two-hour meeting of WMCC said both sides had reaffirmed they “will ensure complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC and de-escalation from...border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas in accordance with bilateral agreements and protocols”.

The statement from China’s foreign ministry said both sides “fully affirmed the positive progress made by border defence forces of the two countries in implementing the consensus reached at the commander-level and easing the situation on the ground”. It added they will continue to properly handle issues and jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity along the border and overall ties.