Beijing, March 25: India and China on Tuesday comprehensively reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas and early resumption of cross-border cooperation – including on trans-border rivers and Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra – during the 33rd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) held in Beijing.
The Indian delegation was led by Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) while Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed the Chinese delegation. The meeting, the MEA said, was held in a “positive” and “constructive” atmosphere.
“Peace and tranquility on the border are critical for the smooth development of overall bilateral relations. The two sides explored various measures and proposals to give effect to the decisions taken during the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question in Beijing in December 2024 and to advance effective border management,” read a MEA statement issued after the meeting.
“The two sides agreed to maintain and strengthen relevant diplomatic and military mechanisms towards this end. They also exchanged views on early resumption of cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including on trans-border rivers and Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra,” it added.
During the meeting, both countries agreed to work together to make substantial preparation for the next meeting of the Special Representatives (SR), which will be held in India later this year. The Indian delegation leader also paid a courtesy call on China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had visited Beijing on January 26-27 for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Foreign Minister mechanism between both countries, following which both countries announced their decision to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025.
The meeting was held to review the state of India-China bilateral relations, as agreed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting in Kazan, last October.
During their discussions, Foreign Secretary Misri and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong agreed to take certain people-centric steps to stabilise and rebuild ties. Both sides also agreed, in principle, to resume direct air services between the two countries with the relevant technical authorities on the two sides to negotiate an updated framework for the purpose at an early date.
IANS