Border issue does not represent overall relations with India

Beijing: China on Wednesday said the China-India border issue does not represent the entire bilateral relationship and called for enhancing mutual trust between the two countries to avoid misunderstandings and wrong decisions. India has been saying that its relations with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas. Bilateral relations declined significantly after the deadly Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, the most serious military conflict between the two sides in more than four decades. Responding to questions on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s comments this week that the buildup of troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has led to “no good for both of us”, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the border issue Should be carried out appropriately in bilateral relations. “China has repeatedly stressed that the border question does not represent the entire China-India relationship, which should be appropriately placed and properly managed in bilateral relations,” Wang said.

Responding to a question by a Chinese diplomat at ‘Express Adda’ on Monday, Jaishankar said, “I think it is in our common interest that we should not have so many troops on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). “It is in our common interest that we must abide by the agreements we have signed. And I believe that this is not only in our common interest but it is also in the interest of China. Jaishankar said, “The tension that we have seen for the last four years has not benefited either of us.” Wang, in his reply, said that both China and India believe that an early resolution of the situation on the China-India border is in the common interest of both sides. We hope that both sides will adhere to the spirit of the relevant agreements while maintaining common understanding between the leaders and communication through diplomatic and military channels and find solutions to the relevant border issues that can be quickly accepted by both sides. ,” He said.

China has repeatedly stressed that the border question does not represent the entire China-India relationship, which should be appropriately placed and properly managed in bilateral relations, he said. “We hope that India will work with us in the same direction and view bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective,” he said. Both countries should increase mutual trust and avoid misunderstandings and wrong decisions, he said. “We must handle differences properly to develop our bilateral relations on a strong and stable path.” When pointed out that Jaishankar’s comments referred to the resolution of the current standoff in eastern Ladakh, where both countries have deployed thousands of troops, while China referred to the overall border issue, Wang said, “In the nature of both Things are the same.” “We hope that India will work with us and follow the spirit of the consensus and agreements reached between the two leaders and maintain communication to find an early solution to the border issue,” he said. A standoff continues between Indian and Chinese troops at some friction points in eastern Ladakh, even as both sides have completed withdrawal of troops from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.

A standoff broke out on the eastern Ladakh border on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong Tso (lake) area. The eastern Ladakh standoff has resulted in bilateral relations coming to a halt on all fronts except trade. To resolve the deadlock, both sides have so far held 21 rounds of Corps Commander level talks. According to the Chinese military, both sides have so far agreed to disengage from four points, Galwan Valley, Pangong Lake, Hot Springs and Jiannan Daban (Gogra). India is pressurizing the PLA to withdraw troops from Depsang and Demchok and says that as long as the border situation remains abnormal, normalcy in its relations with China cannot be restored.

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