Spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, whenintroducing the current India- China border situation and commenting on the two sides’ military ties at a regular press conference in Beijing on Thursday said that sincethe Galwan Valley clash, China and India have held several rounds of talksthrough military and diplomatic channels, and progress has been made indisengaging the frontline troops of both sides.
Wu stressed that China and India are important neighbors and expected that India could work with China towards thesame goal, bearing in mind the big picture of bilateral ties and putting theborder issue in an appropriate position in this big picture, avoid misjudgment,keep divergences from escalating into disputes, and take concrete steps tobring the bilateral relations back to the right track of normal development.
However, India and China were unable to overcome their differences on the disengagement and de-escalation process along the LAC during the last diplomatic talks held on 20th August, with New Delhi emphasising the need toresolve “outstanding issues” in an expeditious manner and in accordance withthe existing agreements and protocols.
Even though, the two sides agreed that restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas would beessential for the overall development of bilateral relations; disengagement atcertain points at LAC in western sector of the boundary remains the sticking point where China is reluctant to move from as per official sources.
ANSHUMAN MISHRA/PRASAR BHARATI SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, BEIJING