India, China agree to expedite troop withdrawal from disputed border
India and China have pledged to urgently initiate the withdrawal of their respective troops stationed along the disputed border known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The agreement was reached during a meeting between Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. The discussion took place on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings in Laos.
Understanding the Line of Actual Control
The LAC, a de facto border separating Chinese and Indian-held territories, extends from Ladakh in the west to India's eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The length of this border is a matter of contention between the two nations; India claims it to be 3,488km long while China asserts a significantly shorter figure. Notably, China lays full claim to Arunachal Pradesh.
Tensions escalate following military clash
Tensions between India and China escalated in July 2020 following a military clash that resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese. Since then, both nations have stationed tens of thousands of military personnel, backed by artillery, tanks, and fighter jets along the rugged mountainous border. Some troops have been withdrawn from areas on the northern and southern banks of Pangong Tso, Gogra and Galwan Valley.
Diplomatic efforts to resolve border dispute
During their meeting, Jaishankar and Wang "agreed on the need to work with purpose and urgency to achieve complete disengagement at the earliest," according to an Indian government statement. The statement also emphasized that peace on the border is essential for restoring normalcy in ties between the two countries. Jaishankar noted that border issues have "cast a shadow" over India-China relations for the past four years despite significant efforts by both sides to resolve them.
Mutual agreement to maintain peace and progress
Wang echoed Jaishankar's sentiments, stressing that improving China-India ties is beneficial for both countries and other nations, as reported by China's official Xinhua News Agency. The two sides agreed to work together to maintain peace in border areas and push for progress. Top Indian and Chinese army commanders have held several rounds of talks since the 2020 military clash to discuss the disengagement of troops from areas of tension.
