Just one day after concluding the first round of talks with India to resolve the ongoing border dispute along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) organized a large-scale maneuver operation featuring thousands of paratroopers and armored vehicles moving from Hubei province to the country’s northwestern, high-altitude region.
The exercise was reported by the Chinese state-owned media outlet Global Times, which stated that it was “completed in just a few hours, demonstrating China’s capability of quickly reinforcing border defenses when necessary”.
Military commanders from India and China met on the Chinese side of the LAC, near the border village of Chushul on Saturday, to deliberate on the issue of the current standoff between the two nations. The Indian delegation was led by Lt General Harinder Singh, the general officer commanding of Leh-based 14 Corps, while the Chinese delegation was headed by the Commander of the Tibet Military District. Though Indian authorities have not revealed the details of the meeting yet, they have said that both countries have agreed to settle tensions through various diplomatic and military channels.
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The Indian foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday: “Both sides agreed to peacefully resolve the situation in the border areas in accordance with various bilateral agreements and keeping in view the agreements between the leaders that peace and tranquility in the India-China border regions is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations”. It referred to recent summits between China’s Xi Jinping and Indian PM Narendra Modi, who have both made commitments to strengthen security and economic cooperation between the two nations.
Though India has stressed that the meeting was conducted in a “cordial and positive atmosphere”, China did not immediately respond. Previously, Beijing has referred to the situation at the border as “stable and controllable”. However, experts have cautioned against assuming China’s position. Speaking to Livemint, former Indian ambassador to China, Gautam Bambawale said India needs to “see what the Chinese side says, though they may not come out with a statement at all.” He added that the talks are “likely to be long-drawn-out and difficult”.
Image Source: The Hindu