New Delhi: Striking a conciliatory tone after raising tensions in eastern Ladakh to a fever pitch, China said Thursday it was ready to work with India to properly deal with the border standoff. It noted that ‘suspicion and friction’ was a wrong path that goes against the fundamental aspirations of people of the two countries.
In an interview to this agency, Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidon said India and China are able to properly manage their differences, and called upon New Delhi to avoid taking actions that may ‘complicate’ the situation in eastern Ladakh. He went on to add that at present, the overall situation in the China-India border areas is ‘stable and controllable’.
“We hope the Indian side meets the Chinese side halfway, avoids taking actions that may complicate the border situation and takes concrete actions to maintain stability in the border areas,” Sun said.
The Indian and Chinese armies are locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last six weeks. The tension escalated manifold after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent clash in Galwan Valley, June 15.
The Chinese ambassador said ‘mutual respect and support’ is a sure way and meets the long-term interests of both countries, but at the same time, largely put the onus on India to ease tension in the region.
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“China and India are both large developing countries and emerging economies with more than one billion people. Both have the historic mission of realising our own development and revitalisation,” Sun asserted.
“China and India are willing and able to properly manage differences. In the last few weeks, both sides have held a series of diplomatic and military talks to cool down temperature even as Chinese military has increased its presence in all sensitive areas along the 3,500 km Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de-facto border,” Sun added.
At a weekly media briefing, External Affairs Ministry (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said Chinese side departed from previously agreed understanding in respect the Galwan Valley area and sought to erect structures just across the LAC.
“When this attempt was foiled, Chinese troops took violent actions on June 15 that directly resulted in casualties,” the spokesperson asserted. He said the conduct of Chinese forces this year has been in complete disregard of all mutually agreed norms.
The Chinese ambassador however, had a different point to offer. “Mutual respect and support is a sure way and meets the long-term interests of both countries; suspicion and friction is a wrong path and goes against the fundamental aspiration of the two peoples,” said Sun.
“Under the guidance of the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, we are ready to work with the Indian side to properly deal with the current situation, jointly uphold peace and stability in the border areas, and ensure a sound and steady development of bilateral relations,” he added.
In the course of the interview, Sun repeated the Chinese government’s stand – which has been rejected by India – that Indian troops are responsible for the Galwan Valley clashes. He indicated that the onus was on India to improve the situation in eastern Ladakh.
“The onus is not on China. The Indian side crossed the LAC (Line of Actual Control) for provocation and attacked the Chinese border troops. The Indian forces seriously violated agreements on border issues between the two countries,” Sun pointed out.