India, China should focus on ‘normalised management’ of border: Wang Yi at SCO

India and China should engage and focus on the “normalised management” of the disputed border rather than just resort to “emergency response”, Chinese state councillor and foreign minister Wang Yi has told India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar. The two diplomats met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on Thursday.

Wang Yi said both countries need to work together, maintain peace in the border areas and prevent the recurrence of incidents.

S Jaishankar said India-China ties were “indispensable” and that New Delhi doesn’t believe in a “clash of civilisations”.

The two diplomats last met in July during an SCO foreign ministers’ meeting in Dushanbe.

Wang, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement issued on Friday, said, “In the previous period, the communication between the diplomatic and military departments of the two countries was serious and effective, and the border situation between the two countries has generally developed in the direction of ease.

“It is hoped that the Indian side will meet the Chinese side halfway, promoting the continued stability of the [border] situation, and gradually shift from emergency response to normalised management.”

China and India should “work together to maintain peace in the border areas and prevent the recurrence of border incidents”, he said.

The talks at the SCO summit in Dushanbe took place in the backdrop of the India-China border tensions, which despite the withdrawal of frontline forces from Pangong Lake and Gogra areas, continue to linger.

Both sides still have tens of thousands of troops deployed on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as part of a stand-off that began in May last year.

“It is necessary to consolidate the results of the disengagement of frontline forces and strictly abide by the agreements and consensus reached between the two countries. [China and India should] work together to maintain peace in the border areas and prevent the recurrence of border incidents,” Wang Yi said.

The senior Chinese diplomat said both countries should adhere to the consensus “that they do not pose a threat to each other” and push cooperation back on track.

The Chinese statement quoted S Jaishankar as saying that India and China have made progress in handling the border situation, while there were still some unresolved issues.

“The Indian side is willing to work with China to abide by the bilateral agreement, promote the next round of the military commander-level meeting to achieve positive results, and earnestly maintain peace in the border area,” Jaishankar was quoted as saying.

“The Indian side does not believe in the clash of civilisations and believes that it is very important for Asian countries to maintain unity. To achieve that, India-China cooperation is indispensable,” the Indian minister said.

S Jaishankar said India is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China within the framework of the Brics and the SCO to jointly respond to global challenges such as combating terrorism.