New Delhi: Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said differences over the disputed boundary and ‘recent setbacks’ in ties should not impact the overall Sino-India relationship but did not give any indication about the way forward to resolve the ongoing border friction in eastern Ladakh.
Wang did not give a timeline for the disengagement of troops on the Chinese side of the LAC. Ties between the two countries have dipped to their worst low in decades following a border clash in the Galwan Valley at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in June 2020, which left 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead.
Several rounds of diplomatic and military talks have failed to resolve the tension or lead to a complete disengagement of troops, thousands of whom, along with heavy weaponry, have been deployed on both sides of the LAC.
“China, India relations have encountered some setbacks in recent years which don’t serve the fundamental interests of two countries and the two peoples,” Wang Yi, who is a State Councillor, said.
Wang called for managing boundary differences through consultation, actively seeking a “fair and equitable” settlement.
Addressing his annual press conference on China’s foreign policy on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s legislature, Wang said that some forces have always sought to stoke tensions between China and India, in a veiled reference to the US.
“Their attempts have put more and more thoughtful people in reflection and on alert. More people have come to realize that for China and India, both major countries with a population of over a billion, only by staying independent can we firmly grasp our own destiny and realize our goals of development and rejuvenation,” the senior diplomat said.
The two countries, Wang said, should “…avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation so that we will be partners for mutual success instead of adversaries of mutual attrition.”
“We must make sure that our relationship moves forward on the right track, bring more benefits to our peoples and make greater contributions to (the) region and the world,” he said. Talks between the two countries are continuing with the latest round of talks held on March 11. (Hindustan Times)
