New Delhi, India
Indian and Chinese officials held a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday (Dec 5) to assess the situation along the shared border. Both sides "positively affirmed" the progress made in implementing disengagement measures along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), according to India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The meeting, part of the 32nd session of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), was led by Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) for India, and Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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In a statement, the MEA said, "The two sides positively affirmed the implementation of the most recent disengagement agreement which completed the resolution of the issues that emerged in 2020."
“Both sides reviewed the situation in border areas and reflected on the lessons learnt from the events of 2020 in order to prevent their recurrence. In this context, they highlighted the importance of regular exchanges and contacts at diplomatic and military level through established mechanisms,” it added.
“They agreed on the need for effective border management and maintenance of peace & tranquillity in accordance with relevant bilateral agreements, protocols and understandings reached between the two Governments. The leader of the Chinese delegation also called on the Foreign Secretary during the visit,” India’s foreign ministry said.
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The next meeting between the two nations' special representatives will be scheduled based on decisions made during the Kazan meeting on October 3, 2024.
The meeting follows the recent agreement reached on October, 21 under which both nations began disengaging their armies and dismantling temporary structures they set up in Eastern Ladakh’s Depsang and Demchok areas after the Galwan clash in 2020. Personnel have been pulled back to their pre-2020 positions, marking significant progress in India-China ties.
(With inputs from agencies)