New Delhi: India and China on Thursday exchanged views on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to narrow down the differences and find early resolution of the outstanding issues.
Both sides held the 31st meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) on Thursday, 29 August in Beijing, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the MEA led the Indian delegation. The Chinese delegation was led by Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary & Ocean Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In line with the guidance provided by two Foreign Ministers’ meetings in Astana and Vientiane in July this year to accelerate their discussion, and building on the WMCC meeting held last month, the two sides had a frank, constructive and forward-looking exchange of views on the situation along the LAC to narrow down the differences and find early resolution of the outstanding issues. For this, they further agreed for intensified contact through diplomatic and military channels, the MEA said.
They also decided to jointly uphold peace and tranquillity on the ground in border areas in accordance with relevant bilateral agreements, protocols and understandings reached between the two governments, the MEA added.
According to the MEA, it was reiterated that the restoration of peace and tranquillity and respect for LAC are the essential basis for the restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations.
The leader of the Indian delegation also called on the Vice Minister in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the MEA said.
