Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, APRIL 21

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has hoped India would work with China to meet each other halfway on the border dispute.

Chinese MFA spokesperson Wang Wenbin made these observations when he was asked to react to India’s Ambassador to China Vikram Misri recently stating that there was a tendency to sweep the situation at the border under the carpet and characterise it as just a minor issue.

Wang’s subsequent comments showed the divergence in the thinking of New Delhi and Beijing on this issue. Wang said both sides should bear in mind the overall interests of the long-term development of China-India relations.

They should, therefore, place the boundary issue “at an appropriate position” in bilateral relations and bring China-India relations back to the track of sound and steady development.

Wang began by pointing out that China’s position on the boundary issue is consistent and clear-cut.

“We are committed to maintaining peace and stability in the border areas and firmly safeguarding national territorial sovereignty and security,” he said while recalling that recently China and India have maintained close communication through diplomatic and military channels.

“On the basis of realising disengagement in the Galwan valley and the Pangong Lake area, the two sides have had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on promoting the settlement of the remaining issues in the western sector of the China-India boundary,” he observed.

Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar has repeatedly stated that a peaceful and tranquil border is a prerequisite for advancing bilateral India-China ties. New Delhi has put on hold several investment proposals from China. Estimated at $2 billion when the ban was put in place last year, some investment proposals also have third country implications.