China announced that both its troops and Indian forces have disengaged in four significant areas of eastern Ladakh, including the Galwan Valley, a hotspot of previous tensions. This move signals progress towards reducing friction between the two countries, with Chinese officials describing the border situation as "generally stable and under control."
During a press briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning confirmed that India and China have made strides in easing tensions following high-level talks in Russia. Mao stated that both nations are committed to improving bilateral relations that have been strained since the military standoff began.
Mao also mentioned that on September 12, Chinese Director Wang Yi met India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in St. Petersburg, where they discussed progress in ongoing border consultations. The two sides agreed to follow through on the common understandings reached by their leaders and work towards enhancing trust and improving overall ties.
“Front-line armies of the two countries have disengaged in four areas in the Western sector of the China-India border, including the Galwan Valley. The border situation is stable and under control,” Mao said.
Updates on India-China Relations
India’s external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar, recently provided an update on the disengagement process, stating that around 75% of the issues have been resolved. However, he pointed out the challenge of growing militarization along the border. Jaishankar remarked, “The Galwan Valley clashes of June 2020 affected India-China relations significantly. One cannot have violence at the border and expect other aspects of the relationship to remain unaffected.”
Since the violent clashes in 2020, the two nations have been involved in ongoing negotiations to resolve border disputes. While progress has been made, there is still work to be done to fully resolve the situation.
Recent talks between India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, held on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, are viewed as an important step. Both leaders reviewed the progress in resolving the remaining issues in eastern Ladakh and agreed to intensify efforts to achieve complete disengagement.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasized that both countries will work with urgency to resolve the remaining friction points, which will help stabilize and rebuild their strained bilateral relationship.
Lingering Border Disputes
The standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has left relations between India and China at a low point, with diplomatic and military talks continuing since April 2020. Although both sides have made progress, such as troop withdrawals from the north and south banks of Pangong Lake, Gogra, and Hot Spring, significant challenges remain.
India maintains that full normalization of relations with China is only possible when peace is fully restored along the border. Both nations have held 21 rounds of Corps Commander-level talks in their ongoing efforts to reach a resolution.
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