In an effort towards demarcating the contentious boundary, India and China reinforced commitment to the “three-step process to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution” within the agreed guiding principles. This was agreed in the 18th round of talks between the Special Representatives of India and China on the Boundary Question on Monday.
Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor from India and Mr. Yang Jiechi, State Councillor from China represented the two sides. This is the first meeting of the special representatives after the new Government assumed office in India.
“The Special Representatives continued the discussions to reach a mutually acceptable Framework for resolution of the Boundary Question on the basis of the Agreement on the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles,” a statement from the ministry of external affairs said.
Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office and the successful visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping to India in September last year expectations are running that both sides will show more flexibility and make a forward movement to demarcate the contentious boundary, a major hindrance in rapidly expanding the bilateral relationship.
The two countries share a 4,057km long border on which they have differences of perception and fought a brief war in 1962 and had since viewed each other with suspicion. In September last year even as both leaders were holding summit talks in Delhi the two armies, two of the largest in the world, were engaged in a three week stand-off in the Chumur sector in Eastern Ladakh.
While both sides broadly agreed to maintain peace and tranquillity on the border, the representatives also notedthe growing interaction between the border forces of the two countries and agreed to further expand such contacts as “these constitute important confidence building measures for maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas.”
Meanwhile Chinese media had on Monday reported that India and China are working on a new border patrolling framework.
Significantly, the two sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest and agreed to further consultations on counter-terrorism, maritime security, climate change, reform of United Nation and civil nuclear energy cooperation.