In a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Bali, Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister (FM) Wang Yi agreed to complete disengagement along the two countries’ Line of Actual Control (LAC).
According to a press release by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) following their meeting on Thursday, Jaishankar “called for an early resolution of all the outstanding issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.” Referring to the successful disengagement in some “friction areas,” he further reiterated “the need to sustain the momentum to complete disengagement from all the remaining areas to restore peace and tranquillity in the border areas.”
"need to sustain the momentum to complete disengagement", EAM Jaishankar tells Chinese FM Wang Yi during a meet on the sidelines of G20 FMs meet in Bali, Indonesia. 2nd such in-person meet between the 2 ministers after Delhi visit of Wang Yi in March. https://t.co/FuKIW2lfCq pic.twitter.com/C5U8trXrIg
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) July 7, 2022
The Indian EAM also “reaffirmed the importance of fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols, and the understandings reached between the two Ministers during their previous conversations.” Wang and Jaishankar both further affirmed that both sides’ “military and diplomatic officials… should continue maintaining regular contact” and hold the next round of the Senior Commanders’ meeting as early as possible. India’s relationship with China “is best served by observing the three mutuals – mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests,” Jaishankar said.
Referring to the meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian acknowledged during his regular press briefing on Thursday that “the China-India border area is generally stable at the moment.” “The two sides have agreed to follow the important common understandings reached by the two leaders and the agreements signed by both sides, and properly resolve issues related to the Western sector of the China-India boundary in line with the principle of mutual and equal security,” he said. China and India “have the will and capability of jointly maintaining peace and tranquility in the China-India border areas,” the spokesperson added.
Wang and Jaishankar last met in March, following which the Indian EAM reaffirmed that ties with China are “not normal.”
As important neighbors, #China and #India are capable of and willing to safeguard the peace and stability of the India-China border together: Chinese FM on reports about Wang Yi meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar pic.twitter.com/YLWPn0F1ZJ
— Zhang Meifang张美芳 (@CGMeifangZhang) July 7, 2022
In June 2020, border tensions between India and neighbouring China flared up when several troops engaged in stone-pelting and fistfights in Eastern Ladakh and Northern Sikkim. The skirmish resulted in casualties on both sides, including 20 Indian soldiers and over 40 Chinese soldiers. According to Army sources, the violence in Ladakh initially began after Chinese troops objected to the presence of their Indian counterparts in the disputed lake area.
Since the onset of the conflict, India and China have held 15 rounds of military negotiations to resolve the row over eastern Ladakh, with the latest meeting being held in March. Although the most recent round of talks was unsuccessful, the two sides did successfully disengage on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake last year. The 135-kilometre-long landlocked lake is located partly in the Ladakh region and partly in Tibet; China controls two-thirds of the area.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar Thur on the sidelines of G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Indonesia, saying two countries effectively managed differences and bilateral relations have shown recovery momentum. pic.twitter.com/8aibAEbbup
— Zhang Heqing张和清 (@zhang_heqing) July 7, 2022
New Delhi has consistently maintained that peace and tranquillity along the LAC are necessary for the overall stability of bilateral ties. Currently, each side has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops stationed along the LAC.
The meeting between the two leaders comes against the backdrop of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking with the Dalai Lama this week. In what has been interpreted as a strong message to China, Modi wished the Dalai Lama a happy birthday over the phone for the second year in a row. In addition, Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi and Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice S. P. Singh Baghel attended his birthday celebration in New Delhi.
Began my day in Bali by meeting FM Wang Yi of China. Discussion lasted one hour.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 7, 2022
Focused on specific outstanding issues in our bilateral relationship pertaining to the border situation. Also spoke about other matters including students and flights. pic.twitter.com/NYl0Gh451v
To this end, foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao said that New Delhi “needs to fully understand the anti-China and separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama.” “It needs to abide by its commitments to China on Tibet-related issues, act and speak with prudence and stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs,” he said.
He stressed that the Dalai Lama is an anti-China separatist while emphasising that Tibet “has long witnessed booming economic development with social harmony and stability and cultural traditions protected and promoted.” He added that “people of all ethnic groups in Tibet enjoy the freedom of religious belief, and the freedom to use and develop their ethnic language.”
In response, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said during his press conference yesterday that PM Modi “did speak to His Holiness last year also,” as it “has been the consistent policy of the government to treat His Holiness the Dalai Lama as an honoured guest in India, a respected religious leader who enjoys a large following in India.”
Bagchi added that the Dalai Lama “is accorded due courtesies and freedom to conduct his religious and spiritual activities” and that his “birthday is celebrated by many of his followers in India and abroad.” “The birthday greetings by Honourable Prime Minister to His Holiness on his 87th birthday, yesterday, should be seen in this overall context,” Bagchi clarified.
Meanwhile, China, too, has consistently irked India by wading in on the Kashmir dispute with India. Late last month, Zhao warned India to “avoid politicising” the G20 amid reports that New Delhi plans to hold events in Jammu and Kashmir during its upcoming presidency of the grouping.
Similarly, in August 2020, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin denounced India’s “illegal and invalid” decision to abrogate Article 370 (which revoked the region’s earlier special status) in 2019.
Likewise, in March of this year, Foreign Minister Wang said China shares the “same hope” as that of other group members in their support for Kashmir’s “just freedom struggles.” Two months later, a joint statement following his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari urged India to resolve the Kashmir dispute “based on the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions, and bilateral agreements.”