Chinese, Indian diplomats hold talks to end border tension

Senior diplomats from China and India on Friday held talks, the Chinese foreign ministry said, underlining that the two countries should not pose a "threat" to each other and not let their differences turn into disputes.

The talks through video conference were held between Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the external affairs ministry, and Wu Jianghao, Director-General of the Asian Department of China's ministry of foreign affairs on the eve of a Lieutenant General-level dialogue to resolve the month-long bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh.

During the talks, Wu and Srivastava exchanged views on bilateral relations, COVID-19 situation and anti-epidemic cooperation, celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of China-India diplomatic ties and multilateral cooperation, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a press release.

The press release said both the sides should implement the consensus reached between the leaderships of the two countries that the "two neighbours do not constitute a threat to each other and that each other is an opportunity for development and do not let differences turn into disputes," in a reference to decisions taken at the two informal summits between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Both sides should enhance strategic mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage differences and promote the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties so as to ensure that the giant ship of China-India relations is moving in the right direction, the release said.

The Indian delegation for the military talks will be led by Lt General Harinder Singh, the general officer commanding of Leh-based 14 Corps, while the Chinese side will be headed by the Commander of the Tibet Military District, official sources said in New Delhi.

The talks are slated to be held at the Border Personnel Meeting Point at Maldo in Chushul sector of Eastern Ladakh.

The Chinese press release said the two countries should also deepen anti-epidemic cooperation, oppose politicising the epidemic situation, support the World Health Organisation and promote the development of a public health system.

China is under immense international pressure on the origins of the cornonavirus with countries like the US alleging that Beijing has not been transparent and misled the world about the pandemic. Beijing has rejected the allegations.

The press release also said that both the countries will resolutely safeguard and promote multilateralism, oppose unilateralism, protectionism and hegemonism, jointly safeguard international fairness and justice, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries.