At 30th round of talks on border dispute, China and India agree to speed up negotiations

Both seek to promote healthy and stable development of relations and ‘turn the page’ on border issue soon, Beijing’s foreign ministry says

Reading Time:2 minutes

A statement from India’s external affairs ministry says New Delhi and Beijing reviewed the current situation along the Line of Actual Control during talks on Wednesday, “with a view to finding an early solution of the outstanding issues”. Photo: AFP

Published: 3:57pm, 1 Aug 2024Updated: 4:04pm, 1 Aug 2024

China and India have agreed to speed up negotiations over their border disputes and maintain peace and tranquillity in border areas as stand-offs along part of their Himalayan frontier enter their fourth year.

During the 30th round of border talks held in New Delhi on Wednesday, the two sides also agreed to “focus on specific issues related to the China-India border, accommodate each other’s legitimate concerns and reach a mutually acceptable solution” soon, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement shortly after midnight on Thursday.

Meanwhile, they agreed to “maintain communication through diplomatic and military channels, strengthen the construction of negotiation mechanisms, accelerate the negotiation process, turn the page on the border situation at an early date, and promote the healthy and stable development of China-India relations,” it said.

03:14

Modi’s BJP claims ‘historic’ victory in Indian election despite smaller majority

In a separate statement, India’s external affairs ministry said the two sides had reviewed the current situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) “with a view to finding an early solution of the outstanding issues”.

“Restoration of peace and tranquillity and respect for the LAC are an essential basis for restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations,” it said, adding that the meeting on Wednesday was “in-depth, constructive and forward-looking”.

Beijing has long said that the border disputes should not dominate or define the entire bilateral relationship, while India has said the border issue is the basis of restoring ties.

The latest round of border talks was co-chaired by Hong Liang, director general of the foreign ministry’s Boundary and Oceanic Department, and Gourangalal Das, joint secretary from the external affairs ministry. Representatives from the departments of foreign affairs, national defence and immigration from both sides also joined the meeting.

The talks were held as ties between the Asian neighbours hit their lowest point in decades after Chinese and Indian troops engaged in a brawl in 2020 that left 20 Indian soldiers dead and an unspecified number of Chinese casualties.