The MEA says the two sides had a ‘frank, constructive and forward-looking’ exchange of views on situation along the LAC

New Delhi, August 29

India and China on Thursday conducted the 31st meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) at Beijing.

These meetings are on the resolution of the ongoing military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.

This WMCC meet was the second in a month, the previous one being held on July 31.

The Ministry of External Affairs said “It was reiterated that restoration of peace and tranquillity, and respect for LAC are the essential basis for restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations”.

The MEA said the two sides had a “frank, constructive and forward-looking” exchange of views on the situation along the LAC.

“This was to narrow down the differences and find early resolution of the outstanding issues,” the MEA said, adding “For this, they further agreed for intensified contact through diplomatic and military channels”.

The meeting was to carry forward discussions between the two Foreign Ministers – S Jaishankar and Wang Yi — in their two meetings, last month, at Astana Kazakhstan and Vientiane Laos.

Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs 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.

The two sides, in the meantime decided to jointly uphold peace and tranquility on the ground in border areas in accordance with relevant bilateral agreements, protocols and understandings reached between the two governments.