Amidst a verbal duel between India and China on the proposed construction of a road along the McMahon line in Arunachal Pradesh, delegations of the two countries began two-day talks here on Thursday to find ways to avoid stand-offs like the one in Chumar, ladakh last month. The face-off had lasted for more than 15 days after the Chinese army patrol came into India when Chinese President Xi Jinping was visiting India.
The parleys, held under the framework of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), are held twice a year to discuss various issues pertaining to the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas.
In the backdrop of the latest face-off, the two countries agreed to focus their attention on this incident during the talks, Indian officials said here on Thursday.
Incidentally, this is the first meeting of WMCC after the Narendra Modi Government assumed office. Established in 2012, the Mechanism has played a major role in addressing the issues arising of aggressive patrolling by both sides of the disputed border including last year’s stand off at Depsang Valley.
While India is likely to point out frequent incursions by the Chinese troops into its territory along the line of Actual Control (lAC) including Chumar and Demchok, the Chinese side is likely ask India to refrain from constructing the road in Arunachal Pradesh. It flows from the Chinese Government reaction on Wednesday which hoped that India will not take any action which may complicate the situation before a final settlement is reached to end the boundary dispute.
The Chinese incursion had overshadowed the talks between Jinping and Modi last month when latter raised “serious concerns” over the repeated incidents along the border and sought an early settlement of the boundary question.
Meanwhile, officials in Beijing said the meeting will focus on a number of issues of mutual interests concerning the boundary patrolling and management. The Mechanism is co-chaired by the Joint Secretary (in-charge of China division) in the External Affairs Ministry and his Chinese counterpart.
The mandate of the WMCC comprised Foreign Ministry and Defence officials from both sides to discuss issues related to border management by both sides to maintain peace and not the boundary dispute which is discussed by Special Representatives.
The two countries also signed another pact called Border Defence Co-Operation Agreement(BDCA) last year during then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Beijing. This agreement aimed at avoiding face-offs on the lAC, refrain from tailing the patrol of each other’s Army and not use force during a transgression. The pact was signed after a 21-day face-off in Depsang Valley, ladakh in May last year when the Chinese troops came more than 19 km inside India and pitched tents.