China and India agreed on Wednesday to seek a resolution to their longstanding border dispute in the Himalayas, following a military standoff that began with a fatal clash in 2020.
This development comes after the two Asian powers reached an agreement on border patrols in October, ending a deadlock that commenced with the conflict in the Ladakh region. This altercation was the first deadly encounter between India and China since 1975, significantly escalating tensions.
A statement from China’s Foreign Ministry, following discussions between the special representatives on border issues — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval — indicated that both sides would pursue “fair and reasonable” solutions and devise a roadmap, tackling simpler issues first and addressing more challenging ones subsequently.
The October border agreement was succeeded by a meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, their first in five years.
Wang and Doval advocated for the continued implementation of the border patrol agreement and expressed that the two nations would enhance cross-border exchanges, including the resumption of trips by Indian pilgrims to Tibet, according to the Chinese statement.
Frances Ibiefo
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