Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in an unusual and open discussion aimed at alleviating tensions along their disputed border, as stated by Beijing on August 25, DW reports.
The longstanding conflict between China and India over their contested Himalayan border has escalated, with a particularly significant incident occurring in 2020 when a border clash resulted in the deaths of numerous soldiers. During the recent meeting that took place on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, Modi directly addressed the border issue with Xi for the first time.
China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson reported on August 25, "President Xi emphasized that enhancing China-India relations is in the mutual interest of both countries and peoples. The two sides should consider the broader picture of their bilateral relations and handle the border matter appropriately to jointly uphold peace."
India's Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra conveyed that Modi underscored unresolved matters along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which separates India's Ladakh region from Chinese territory.
Kwatra stated, "Modi highlighted that sustaining peace and tranquility in the border regions, and acknowledging and respecting the LAC, are crucial for the normalization of India-China relations."
China characterized the dialogue as a "candid and comprehensive exchange of opinions." Efforts to Resolve the Dispute India and China have conducted multiple discussions at lower levels to address the dispute along the 3,488-km (2,167-mile) border.
Before their meeting in Johannesburg, military commanders from both sides engaged in five days of discussions along the border. Although the talks were described as constructive, there has been no indication of troop withdrawal on the ground. Separately, China also lays claim to India's entire northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, considering it a part of Tibet.
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