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India, China pledge to maintain peace along contested border

Wednesday, 16 August 2023 4:23 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 16 August 2023 4:23 PM ]

This picture, taken on September 28, 2021, shows Indian soldiers on guard near the under-construction Zojila tunnel in Ladakh, in the Himalayas. (Via AFP)

Chinese and Indian military commanders have agreed to de-escalate tensions and pledged to “maintain the peace and tranquility” along their disputed border, which has seen violent clashes over the past few years.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin during a briefing on Wednesday praised recent talks between the two sides and highlighted the mutual commitment to “maintain the momentum of communication and dialogue through military and diplomatic channels”.

In a statement, China's Defense Ministry said that both sides had a positive, constructive and in-depth discussion on the resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC (line of actual control) in the Western Sector.

They also agreed to resolve the remaining issues in an "expeditious manner" and maintain the momentum of dialogue and negotiations through military and diplomatic channels, the ministry said.

“In the interim, the two sides agreed to maintain the peace and tranquility on the ground in the border areas,” it added.

The statement said they “agreed to resolve the remaining issues in an expeditious manner.”

India moves 50,000 troops to China border in new military ‘offensive’ posture: Report

India moves at least 50,000 additional forces to its border with China in what is viewed as a monumental shift towards an offensive military posture against the Asian power.

This came after the 19th round of commander-level talks were held on Sunday and Monday at the Indian army post in the town of Chushul-Moldo.

Several stretches of the lengthy frontier are disputed and relations had soured dramatically over the past few years.

Troops from the two sides engaged in a deadly fighting in Ladakh region in June 2020. At least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers lost their lives in the violence.

Both countries back then stationed tens of thousands of troops, backed by artillery, tanks, and fighter jets along the Line of Actual Control -- the de facto border separating Chinese and Indian-held territories from Ladakh in the west to India's eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims in its entirety.

Indian, Chinese troops disengaging from disputed Himalayan border

There have been 16 rounds of meetings between senior military commanders from both countries in recent months.

India and China have since held multiple rounds of military talks to resolve the dispute.

India and China share an un-demarcated 3,800-km border. The two countries fought a brief but bloody border war in 1962 and distrust has occasionally led to flare-ups ever since.

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