India, China focus on border peace
BEIJING: A closer developmental partnership and efforts to keep the disputed border firmly and decisively peaceful were apparently the focus of Sino-indian talks on the boundary issue in China’s Chengdu on Saturday.
National Security Advisor AK Doval and China’s state councillor and foreign minister Wang Yi — the special representatives (SRS) for the border issue under a mechanism put in place in 2003 — discussed firming up “confidence-building measures” between border personnel to promote exchanges and communication.
The two top officials acknowledged the importance of “predictability” in managing the 3,488-km disputed border and maintaining strategic communication to keep it peaceful, an official statement from the Indian side said.
No more army standoffs like Doklam seemed to be the underlined understanding between the two parties. A peaceful frontier until a permanent solution means calmer diplomacy, which could then be directed to look at common goals and iron out differences in other spheres.
“The special representatives agreed that pending the final resolution of the boundary question, it is important to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and to ensure that the border question does not affect the overall development of the bilateral relationship,” it said.
“Acknowledging the importance of predictability in border management, and…underscoring the importance of maintaining strategic communication at all levels, the SRS held discussions on various confidencebuilding measures to promote exchanges and communication between their border personnel,” it added.
Recalling the strategic guidance provided by Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping at the Wuhan Summit in April, the SRS resolved to intensify efforts to achieve a “fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution” to the boundary issue at an early date. They also agreed on approaching the boundary issue from the “strategic perspective of Indo-china relations”, and that an early settlement serves the fundamental interests of both sides.
A statement from the Chinese foreign ministry echoed the consensus. “Before the final settlement of the border issue, we will jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border areas between the two nations,” it said.
The two sides agreed to implement the consensus of the leaders at all levels, including frontline forces, to improve the “construction of trust measures in the border areas”, it added.
Doval and Wang directed the Working Mechanism on Consultation and Coordination for Border Affairs – a bilateral mechanism that focusses on keeping the border peaceful.
The Chinese statement added: “The two sides agreed to gradually expand border trade and personnel exchanges, enhance the public opinion base of friendly cooperation in the border areas, and create a good atmosphere for negotiations and the development of bilateral ties.”
“The accepted solution sends a positive signal to the outside world that the two ancient civilisations are wise and capable of peacefully solving problems through dialogue and consultation,” Doval was quoted as saying by the Chinese foreign ministry.