China on Monday said frontline troops along the disputed Line of Actual Control are taking “effective measures” and making “progress” to disengage and ease the situation on the border.
This came after both China and India pulled back troops from the site of the June 15 clashes at Galwan Valley in Ladakh. At least 20 Indian personnel were killed in the incident, which was the worst violence on the border since 1975. While China also lost personnel, it has not yet said how many. A buffer zone has been reportedly created between the soldiers of both countries.
“Both sides agreed to continue implementing previous consensus reached at the last two rounds of commander-level talks and made progress in taking effective measures on disengagement and easing tensions in the border areas by frontline troops,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a press conference.
He added that Chinese and Indian troops held the third round of commander-level talks on June 30, without elaborating on the details of the progress made. “We hope India will meet China halfway, implement our consensus by taking concrete actions, keep in close contact with China via military and diplomatic channels, and work with China to de-escalate tensions in the border areas,” Zhao said.
The disengagement happened after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had “a frank and in-depth exchange of views” on Sunday. The Ministry of External Affairs said that the special representatives from both sides agreed to complete the ongoing disengagement process along the LAC expeditiously. Doval and the Chinese minister reiterated that both sides should also strictly respect and observe the LAC and not take any unilateral action to alter the status quo.
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