x
Help Us Guide You Better
best online ias coaching in india
2021-03-08

Download Pdf

banner

International Relations
www.thehindu.com

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday said India and China needed “to create enabling conditions for the settlement” of the boundary dispute, even as he reiterated China’s view that “the rights and wrongs” of last year’s crisis were clear.

His comments came at his annual press meet along the sidelines of the on-going convening in Beijing of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the ceremonial Communist Party-controlled legislature. Mr. Wang addressed China’s relations with the United States, the EU, Japan and India, among other issues.

“The China-India relationship is essentially about how the world’s two largest developing countries get along and pursue development and rejuvenation together,” he said in response to a question on the on-going disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Mr. Wang reiterated the statement he made during a February 25 call with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar that “the boundary dispute, an issue left from history, is not whole story of the China-India relationship.” “It is important that two sides manage disputes properly and, at the same time, expand and enhance cooperation to create enabling conditions for the settlement of the issue,” he told reporters. “The rights and wrongs of what happened in the border area last year are clear, so are the stakes involved. It again proves that initiating confrontation will not solve the problem. Returning to peaceful negotiation is the right way forward. China’s position is very clear. We are committed to settling the boundary dispute through dialogue and consultation. At the same time, we are resolved to safeguard our sovereign rights and interests.”

India’s stand

India has conveyed a different message, underlining that without full disengagement along the LAC, and then de-escalation, restoring normalcy in the relationship would not be possible.

The Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday complete disengagement “would allow both sides to consider de-escalation of forces in Eastern Ladakh as that alone will lead to the restoration of peace and tranquility and provide conditions for progress in our bilateral relationship.”

Since a February 20 meeting of military commanders that followed disengagement being completed on the north and south banks of Pangong Lake, there has been no official word on the progress in the Gogra-Hot Springs area and in Demchok. There are also long-running tensions involving the blocking of patrols in Depsang, which officials said pre-dated the current crisis. De-escalation also remains, with troops still present in large numbers in depth areas beyond the LAC.

Mr. Wang said “it falls on both sides to solidify the existing consensus, strengthen dialogue and communication, and improve various management mechanisms to jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border area.”

“In the year ahead, we hope India will work with China to truly deliver on the important common understanding reached by our leaders that both are not threats to each other, but opportunities for each other’s development,” he said.

The Chinese Foreign Minister said “on many important issues, our positions are the same or close, due to similar national realities.” “Therefore, China and India are each other’s friends and partners , not threats or rivals,” he said. “The two sides need to help each other succeed instead of undercutting each other. We should intensify cooperation instead of harbouring suspicions of each other.”

Subscribe to The Hindu digital to get unlimited access to Today's paper

Already have an account ? Sign in

Start your 14 days free trial. Sign Up

Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.

Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.

A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.

Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.

A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.

We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.

*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.

You can support quality journalism by turning off ad blocker or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to The Hindu.

END
© Zuccess App by crackIAS.com