The 32nd meeting of the ‘Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on Border Affairs’ (WMCC) between China and India was held in New Delhi on Thursday, which reaffirmed the common vision to save borders from disturbances. The meeting was co-chaired by Hong Liang, Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, and Shri Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) from India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
This has been a comprehensive effort as it involves officials from foreign affairs, defense, interior, and immigration departments of both countries.
In a statement released on Friday, the Foreign Ministry of China portrayed the discussions as quite fruitful, indicating that both parties positively appreciated the progress achieved in regard to certain matters pertaining to the borders. They agreed on the comprehensive and effective implementation of these resolutions while identifying steps to further alleviate the situation in the region.
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It also contained coordination efforts for the next round of talks by special representatives, which are relative to the boundary matter. The two sides emphasized again the importance of adhering to the consensus reached by their national leaders in previous engagements, which called for managing disputes through dialogue and cooperation. A highlight of the discussions was to reaffirm the role of the WMCC as the principal platform for dialogue.
Both sides agreed to the continuing lines of communication through diplomatic and military channels to ensure that the events in the border areas do not turn into any further conflict.
It is amid all these engagements that China and India try and work towards stabilizing relations that have so long been under tension, with particularly spiky incidents concerning regions like Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). They both have been leveraging mechanisms like the WMCC to manage differences and generate a conducive atmosphere that would lead them toward sustainable peace and greater mutual trust.
The statement further clarified the consensus on putting in place the agreed measures while continuing efforts to reduce friction and build border confidence. The federated talks are characteristic of the measured approach both countries have toward discussing complicated and enduring territorial disputes.