India and China held the first in-person meeting in four years on Wednesday to discuss their longstanding border issues.
During the 26th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), which was held in Beijing, the two sides reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of their border.
According to the Indian government’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both parties also discussed disengagement in the remaining areas to facilitate the “restoration of peace and tranquility” along the LAC’s Western Sector and “create conditions for restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations.”
Release by Chinese side talks about "achievements made in the disengagement of border troops of the two countries at four locations, including the Galwan Valley" pic.twitter.com/X1HCJqe3i6
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) February 23, 2023
To achieve this common objective under the framework of existing bilateral agreements and protocols, the two neighbours agreed to hold the 18th round of the Senior Commanders meeting “at an early date.” They also agreed to “continue discussions through military and diplomatic channels.”
The Indian side was represented by the Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the MEA, Shilpak Ambule, while China was represented by Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Foreign Ministry Hong Liang.
China and India agreed to stabilize the border situation and solve problems in the western section of the China-India border, based on a previously agreed consensus, according to a meeting held by officials from both countries on negotiation of border issues. pic.twitter.com/K6eRlK6xBF
— Zhang Meifang张美芳 (@CGMeifangZhang) February 22, 2023
China said that both sides “reviewed the positive progress” and outcomes of disengagement in the Galwan Valley and four other friction areas, while exchanging views on the next stage of disengagement.
Both sides “agreed to move forward on the basis of the consensus previously reached, accelerate the resolution of issues related to the western section of the Sino-Indian border, and reach a mutually acceptable solution at an early date,” the Chinese statement read.
It added that they discussed measures to ease the border situation and return the border to normalised control.