(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) After the Sino-Indian border dispute broke out in eastern Ladakh in June 2020, although the situation is stable, the two sides are still deadlocked. Moldo” (Moldo) once again restarted military talks for discussion. Representatives from the defense and foreign affairs departments of the two countries attended the meeting.
The Indian Ministry of Defense said in a press release after the meeting that the two sides had a “frank and in-depth exchange of views” during the meeting and would work to resolve the remaining issues, but did not specify the content.
China’s “Ministry of Defense” stated in a press release: “The two sides agreed to follow the guidance of the leaders of the two countries to resolve the remaining issues as soon as possible. The two sides stated that this will help restore peace and tranquility in the western sector of the Line of Actual Control and promote bilateral relations. The two sides agreed to continue to consolidate the existing achievements and take effective measures to maintain the security and stability of the situation in the western sector, including winter.”
The two sides also stated that they will continue to maintain communication through military and diplomatic channels, reach a solution acceptable to both sides as soon as possible through dialogue and consultation, and hold the next round of commander-level talks as soon as possible.
The Indian representative participating in the talks was Lieutenant General Anindya Sengupta, commander-in-chief of the 14th Army Corps, according to the Indian Express.
Indian Army Chief of Staff Manoj Mukund Naravane on Wednesday described the current situation in Ladakh as “stable and under control”. He told reporters in New Delhi that the threat posed by China to India has not diminished, and India will continue to deal with China with a “tough and determined” attitude.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin commented on this at a regular press conference on Thursday, saying that China and India are maintaining dialogue and communication on promoting the de-escalation of the border situation through diplomatic and military channels. Sexual remarks”.
China’s construction of village on Bhutan border raises India’s concerns
Meanwhile, about 1,100 kilometers east of Ladakh, China has carried out a number of construction projects in the disputed border area with Bhutan – just about 10 kilometers from India’s Doklam region. And this has brought another strain on India.
Reuters, in collaboration with US data analysis company HawkEye 360, found through satellite images provided by HawkEye 360 that China has built more than 200 new buildings at six different sites along the border with Bhutan since the end of 2020. , while construction is still in progress.
Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. Bhutan shares a disputed border with China about 110 kilometers long, and the last time the two countries discussed the border issue was in April 2021.
China’s disputed border with Bhutan is deserted, and the Chinese government is subsidizing residents to settle there, Robert Barnett, a professor-level researcher at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, told Reuters. He said China was building villages on the disputed Bhutanese border to force Bhutan to submit to China over border negotiations.
According to an expert and an Indian Defense Ministry source, the border construction would allow China to expand control and monitor the area, and could use the sites to build defense-related facilities, Reuters reported.
For India, the adjacent Doklam area is a very strategic area of the country. It is located in the long and narrow corridor connecting India to the northeast of the country, known as the “chicken neck”. The narrowest part is only 23 kilometers, which is extremely important to India’s homeland security. In 2017, India and China had a military confrontation here for more than two months.
Regarding the construction of the Sino-Bulgarian border, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to Reuters, saying that the project was “completely aimed at improving the working and living conditions of the local people” and that “it is China’s sovereignty to carry out normal construction activities on its own territory. Scope”.
Bhutan’s foreign ministry said Bhutan and China had agreed to speed up the resolution of their differences in the latest round of border talks in April 2021, but they declined to discuss the details. India’s foreign ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
According to satellite images, neither Bhutan nor India responded to China’s construction on the border. Nathan Ruser, a fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said confronting China here would be a big problem for both countries.
“Any action against these Chinese constructions will necessarily limit the danger to the civilian population,” Ruth said. “This makes it difficult for India and Bhutan to counter the Chinese encroachment on disputed territories.”
(Comprehensive report)
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