China, India agree to maintain peace at border in 20th corps commander level meeting

China and India are effectively managing the risk of another border conflict, experts said on Thursday, after the two countries held, earlier this week, the 20th round of corps commander level meetings where they agreed to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas as the two sides continue to work out a mutually acceptable solution on the issue.

The Chinese and Indian militaries held the 20th round of corps commander level meetings at the Moldo-Chushul border meeting point on the Indian side on Monday and Tuesday, in which the two sides had positive, in-depth and constructive exchanges on resolving the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control in the western sector of the China-India border in a mutually acceptable manner at the earliest possible date, according to a Thursday press release from China’s Ministry of National Defense.

Under the guidance of the two countries’ top leaderships, the two sides exchanged views in a frank, open and forward-looking manner, as they agreed to maintain the momentum of communication and dialogues through military and diplomatic channels so as to resolve the remaining issues as soon as possible, the press release said.

In the interim, the two sides are committed to maintaining peace and tranquility in the border regions, it said.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs also released a press release on Wednesday, stating that the two sides are working on an early and mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues, and will maintain peace and tranquility on the ground.

The previous round of meetings was held in mid-August, with both sides agreeing on similar issues.

With the continued meetings between China and India, the possibility of another border conflict is very low, Zhao Gancheng, a research fellow from the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday.

One important aim of communication and dialogues is to not let the situation deteriorate, Zhao said.

No significant breakthrough was made at the latest meeting, The Times of India reported on Thursday, citing an anonymous source.

Zhao said that right now, it is difficult to resolve all of the issues once for all.

India raised demands including the disengagement of Chinese troops to locations asked for by India, which are unacceptable to China, and it was India that had stirred up the troubles in the first place, Zhao said.

Both sides said they are working on a mutually acceptable solution and maintaining peace and tranquility in the interim, which is the practical way to go in order to avoid another conflict, he said. (Global Times)