China ties hit by lack of peace along LAC: Jaishankar

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday called for peace and tranquillity in border areas along the LAC and said if these are “deeply disturbed” then it affects relations between two countries and that is what happening with India and China.

There must be peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control in the border areas... If these are deeply disturbed then obviously there be will an impact on the relationship and that is what we are seeing,” said Jaishankar during an event.

India and China have been locked in a bitter standoff along the LAC since April-May over the transgressions by the Chinese Army in eastern Ladakh. Earlier this week, Jaishankar had refused to divulge the progress of talks being held at the military and diplomatic levels between India and China to de-escalate the ongoing border standoff in Ladakh. “What is going on is something confidential between us and the Chinese. (The) first rule of my business is do not predict what is still going on,” he had said, adding “it’s work in progress”.

India-China border row

The tension between the two countries escalated following the June 15-16 Galwan Valley clash in which 20 Indian Army soldiers including a Colonel were killed. Since then, the two sides have held several rounds of talks at military and diplomatic levels to end the deadlock but there has been no headway.

Last month, Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi had agreed upon five-point consensus to defuse tensions that included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements restore “peace and tranquillity” along the LAC.