India and China have reached a five-point consensus regarding the ongoing border standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) after detailed talks between Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Moscow on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting on September 10, 2020. This was informed by the Ministry of External Affairs in a joint press statement on September 11.
EAM Jaishankar held a frank and in-depth discussion with Wang Yi on the developments along the India-China border areas as well as on India-China relations. The meeting went on for about two hours and the two sides finally agreed on a five-point plan to resolve the four-month long border standoff including quick disengagement of troops and avoiding further escalation of tensions in eastern Ladakh.
The meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese State Councilor & Foreign Minister Wang Yi concludes, in Moscow. (file pic)
— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020
The two leaders met on the sidelines of SCO meet. pic.twitter.com/5D6WioWbso
The talks were the second-highest political contact between the two countries in a week after last week's crucial meeting between Indian Defence minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart Gen Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of an SCO meet in Moscow itself.
Following the talks between EAM Jaishankar and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the two sides agreed on the following points:
1. The Foreign Ministers of India and China agreed that both sides should seek guidance from a series of consensus of leaders on developing India-China relations, including not allowing differences to become disputes.
2. The two Foreign Ministers also agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either nation and therefore, agreed that the border troops of both nations should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions.
3. The two sides also agreed to abide by all the existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters.
4. The two sides also agreed to continue having dialogues and communication through the Special Representative mechanism on the India-China boundary question. They also agreed that the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC), should continue its meetings.
5. The Ministers further agreed that the two sides should fasten the work to conclude new Confidence Building Measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
Does this mean complete disengagement at the border?
The high-level bilateral talks aimed to immediately bring an end to border area provocations including firing of shots and other dangerous situations that violate the commitments made by the two sides.
The talks concluded with an agreement to move back all personal and equipment that have trespassed and quick disengagement of the frontier troops to de-escalate the situation. Both sides have agreed to stay in touch through diplomatic and military channels and be committed to restoring peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
The Union Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that the Indian side does not consider the development of India-China relations to be dependent on the settlement of the boundary question and India does not want to go backward. The statement further read that the Indian side is prepared to work with China to ease tension on the border through dialogue and negotiation and to restore and maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
Background
The Indian Army and the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) have been locked in a tense border standoff in multiple areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since early May 2020.
Recently on September 7, few shots were fired across the LAC for the first time in 45 years with the two sides accusing each other of firing in the air.
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