(TibetanReview.net, Feb22’24) –India and China have held their 21st Corps Commander Level Meeting on the occupied Tibet side of the Moldo-Chushul border in Ladakh on Feb 19. Begun after the 2020 non-firearms violent clashes in the area, the two sides reported no breakthrough in normalizing the border situation but said they held the talks in a friendly and constructive manner while agreeing to maintain peace in the border areas.
Both sides engaged in positive, in-depth and constructive communication on addressing the border issues of mutual concern. Both sides agreed to continue communication through military and diplomatic channels to reach a solution acceptable to both sides, reported China’s official globaltimes.cn Feb 21, citing the country’s Ministry of National Defence.
The two sides agreed not to carry out “too much” of a buildup of troops in eastern Ladakh in the coming summer, with both sides having withdrawn a significant number of soldiers as part of the winter deployment pattern, reported theprint.in Feb 21. It added that modalities for the same will be finalised at the next Corps Commander level talks to be held ahead of the summer.
The report cited sources in India’s defence and security establishment as saying disengagement from the Depsang Plains and Demchok remains a thorn in talks with no agreement on this critical issue.
The report cited India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) as saying in a brief statement that the discussions built on previous rounds, “seeking complete disengagement in the remaining areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh as an essential basis for restoration of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas”.
The two sides shared their perspectives on these issues in the latest round of talks held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere, the statement was cited as saying.
The statement has echoed China in saying, “They also committed to maintain peace and tranquillity on the ground in the border areas in the interim.”
The talks were stated to have carried forward agreements reached in the 20th round of military commander level talks held last October.
Since tensions erupted along the LAC in 2020, Indian and Chinese troops have carried out disengagement from Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra (PP-17A) and Hot Springs (PP-15) but continue to engage in a stand-off at the strategically important Depsang Plains and Demchok. The last disengagement took place in Sep 2022 when troops from both sides disengaged from Hot Springs, the report noted.