Saturday’s 7 hour long meeting held by Indian and Chinese military leaders appears to have been a step in the right direction for resolving the month-long confrontation between troops from the two nations along their common border high in the Himalayas. Both China and India have pledged to resolve territorial disputes through diplomatic and military channels. China did not discuss the talks once they ended, however, India’s Foreign Ministry released a statement with a more temperate tone than has been seen in recent weeks. “Both sides agreed to peacefully resolve the situation in the border areas in accordance with various bilateral agreements and keeping in view the agreements between the leaders that peace and tranquility in the India-China border regions is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations.”
The series of confrontations that took place along the border in the past month brought on fears in India that a coordinated effort was being made by China to seize territory as the rest of the world was distracted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Both nations reinforced their military units in the area, and according to numerous reports Chinese troops actually set up camps on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control.
Although Saturday’s meeting has produced a glimmer of optimism for the future, the dispute remains unresolved. More talks are expected in the coming days, and weeks, but for the moment the edge appears to have been taken off of Sino-Indian tensions in the Himalayas.
Author’s Note: The June DIRT project on China’s Perceptions of the World will begin next weekend. I mistakenly posted the start date for 6-7 June. Apologies.
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