New Delhi: China on Friday said troops have disengaged at four places in eastern Ladakh, including Galwan Valley, where violent clashes took place in 2020. It added that the border situation is generally stable and under control between the two countries.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said India and China have agreed during their meeting in Russia to work together to create conditions for the improvement of bilateral ties. Her response came on a question of whether India and China were close to a breakthrough to revive the bilateral ties. India-China ties have been frozen for over four years due to the military standoff in eastern Ladakh.
“On Sept 12, director Wang Yi met with NSA Ajit Doval in St. Petersburg. The two sides discussed progress made in recent consultation on border issues and agreed to deliver on the common understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, enhance mutual understanding and trust, create conditions for improving bilateral ties and maintain communication to this end,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning.
“In recent years, front-line armies of the two countries have realised disengagement in four areas in the Western sector of the China-India border, including Galwan valley. The China-India border situation is generally stable and under control,” added the official, responding to queries about Jaishankar’s remark and Doval’s meeting with Wang in St. Petersburg.
75% Problems Sorted: EAM Jaishankar
Her comments come a day after external affairs minister S Jaishankar said roughly 75 per cent of the “disengagement problems” with China are sorted out but the bigger issue has been the increasing militarisation of the frontier.
At an interactive session at a think-tank in Geneva, Jaishankar said the Galwan Valley clashes of June 2020 affected the “entirety” of India-China ties. He also asserted that one cannot have violence at the border and then say the rest of the relationship is insulated from it.
He pointed out that India and China have been engaged in negotiations for the since 2020 to find a solution to the outstanding issues.
“Now those negotiations are going on. We made some progress. I would say roughly you can say about 75 per cent of the disengagement problems are sorted out,” he was quoted as saying by PTI. “We still have some things to do.”
