WAR China, India reach border consensus

jward

passin' thru
China, India reach border consensus

By Liu Xin and Deng Xiaoci Source:Global Times Published: 2020/7/6 21:23:40






Troop withdrawal details kept mum to avoid speculations

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Photo:AFP

The Chinese Special Representative of the China-India Boundary Question, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval spoke Sunday night, and the two sides reached a consensus on de-escalating border tensions. Experts said that such high-level talks send positive signals on easing border tensions.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry released the contents of the conversation on Monday, which showed that the two sides reached a consensus on four aspects. One is that they agreed to take guidance from the important consensus previously reached by the top leaders, which attaches great importance to the stability of the border areas with the development of bilateral ties, and put border disputes in a proper perspective to avoid escalating the disputes.

Both sides welcomed the progress achieved in the recent military and diplomatic meetings, agreed to stay in dialogue and consultation, and stressed the importance to act on the consensus reached in the commander-level talks between bilateral border troops, to complete disengagement of the front-line troops as soon as possible, according to the FM release.

In response to a question on whether China has withdrawn troops from the Galwan Valley, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at Monday's press briefing that the two sides have agreed on disengagements of frontline soldiers. "We hope the two sides could meet each other halfway in implementing these agreements," Zhao said.

The current diplomatic and military talks between China and India aim to prevent the situation from deteriorating, and it is a consensus reached by the two sides to defuse the tensions, Qian Feng, director of the research department of the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University in Beijing, told the Global Times.

"Meetings of China-India Special Representatives are one of the top political measures to handle the border issues, only second to the summit of leaders from the two countries, and it is safe to say that the special representative agreements send a positive signal to ease border tensions," Zhao Gancheng, director of the Center for Asia-Pacific Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the Global Times on Monday.

Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said the agreements eased border tensions.

The details of agreements implementation, such as who withdraws soldiers first from the border area, may be carried out in a "silent" fashion, to avoid further stirring public opinion or provoking irrational sentiments, especially in India, Zhao Gancheng noted.

The two sides also agreed to enhance communication between special representatives on border issues, to strengthen trust and to avoid incidents that may affect border stability from happening again, the FM said.

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Graphics: GT

During talks with Doval, Wang said that what happened in the Galwan Valley is very clear, and China will continue to safeguard its sovereignty to maintain peace and stability of the border areas.

Wang said China hopes India would work with China toward the same goal and properly guide public opinion, safeguard and push the normal communication between the two countries.

Qian said that considering the current situation, no move should be made to stir resentment among the peoples of China and India.

Anti-China sentiments flooded India in recent weeks, with some nationalists calling on a ban of Chinese products and even war. Indian media reported the Indian military was enhancing air-defense deployment along its border areas.

Chinese experts warned that the Indian government should not be abducted by extreme nationalism or do things that will jeopardize China-India ties.

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Squid

Veteran Member
There is what China talky-talks and what China does. Do I actually believe China will withdraw from their brandy new bunkers????

Little chance. This is China attempting to take the international political heat off the situation at this time. Unless China withdraws from their recent encroachment nothing but fake news.
 

Plain Jane

Just Plain Jane
Actually China is making diplomatic inroads in Nepal.





Click to copy
Power tussle in Nepal ruling party as China influence grows
By BINAJ GURUBACHARYAan hour ago



1 of 3
FILE- In this Feb. 15, 2018 file photo, Nepal's Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, left, shakes hand with the chairman of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) Pushpa Kamal Dahal after taking the oath of office at the Presidential building in Kathmandu, Nepal. Oli could be forced out of office within weeks amid an internal tussle for power within his governing party following his sharp rhetoric on neighboring India and as Chinese influence grows in Nepal. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha, File)

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepal’s prime minister could be forced out of office within weeks amid an internal tussle for power within his governing party following his sharp rhetoric on neighboring India and as Chinese influence grows in the country.

Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli was set to meet Wednesday with his Nepal Communist Party rival, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who argues it is his turn to rule, ahead of a series of party meetings in coming days and weeks that will decide whether Oli is removed from his post.

Oli’s troubles within the party also come as he deals with blowback from India over a new map of the Himalayan country that includes a disputed area claimed by both India and Nepal.


Kathmandu’s relations with New Delhi only worsened after Oli said last week that India was attempting to oust him from office with help from some of the members of his own party.

India had been a dominant force in Nepal until recently, when China’s involvement began to grow. Besides China’s investment in the building of airports, highways and hydro-power projects in Nepal, Chinese diplomats have worked to increase ties with Nepali political leaders.

Just this week, China’s ambassador to Nepal held meetings with some top Nepal Communist Party leaders.

India’s and China’s bids for influence in Nepal are part of a greater regional power struggle that is also playing out in a disputed border region in the Karakoram mountains, where diplomats and military commanders worked this week to disengage troops from a deadly standoff between the Asian giants. A June 15 clash along the undemarcated border left 20 Indian soldiers dead, and was the worst violence between India and China in 45 years.

China views Nepal as key to its massive transcontinental infrastructure Belt and Road Initiative that builds on old Silk Road routes that once connected China to the West, analysts say.

“Because Nepal remains in a strategic geographic location, both of these countries think they have to have importance in Nepal’s politics,” said Guranaj Luitel, editor of Nepal’s popular Nagarik newspaper.

“The present government looks more inclined toward China, and because of that India’s role looks like it’s gradually declining,” he said.

India has been wary of Nepal since a Communist government was elected in 2017, but officials deny China’s involvement in internal matters.

“Because there is a Communist government in Nepal, Indian leadership think Nepal is guided by the Chinese, which is not true at all,” said Birod Khatiwada, a member of the Nepal Communist Party central committee.


Oli was elected prime minister in 2017 after the Nepal Communist Party won a majority of the seats in parliament. Just before the general election, two Communist parties led by Oli and Dahal had merged to become a stronger political force.

It was widely believed that Oli and Dahal would split the prime minister’s five-year term, with each taking turns in office. But 2 1/2 years after taking power, Oli has shown no signs of stepping down.

“Having differences and feuds among the leadership or members is nothing new in our political party, but this time it has turned into a national crisis because we are the largest party and we are in the government,” said Khatiwada.

Throughout his tenure in office, Oli has remained a strong and popular leader within the party and in public, despite street protests over the government’s handling of the coronavirus.

He has also gained widespread popularity since presenting the new map that included the disputed territory.

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jward

passin' thru
Maxar WorldView-3 satellite image shows close up view of road construction near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) border in the eastern Ladakh sector of Galwan Valley June 22, 2020.

Photos: New Satellite Images Confirm 2-Kilometer Pullback by Chinese Troops From Galwan Valley
© REUTERS / MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES
Asia & Pacific
19:17 GMT 08.07.2020Get short URL
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New satellite images taken from over the Galwan Valley - the site of last month’s clashes between China and India that killed 20 Indian Army personnel - show Chinese troops are honoring recent disengagement discussions with India and have withdrawn around 2 kilometers from the area of conflict.
Images taken on Monday by US-based space technology company Maxar Technologies show that Chinese forces are pulling back troops from the Galwan Valley, as part of a previously agreed upon disengagement procedure.
@Maxar release images from #GalwanValley, shows withdrawal of troops & positions as per the agreement between #India & #China part of the #indiachinastandoff pic.twitter.com/aVOUTnAsem
— d-atis☠️ (@detresfa_) July 7, 2020
“China does not want to go to war and India does not have the ability to fight one,” Liu Zongyi, head of the South Asia Research Center at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the South China Morning Post.
As per the images, #China seems to have vacated parts of its backline into #GalwanValley as well, approx 1.2Kms pic.twitter.com/EUZALtMVZG
— d-atis☠️ (@detresfa_) July 7, 2020
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian national security adviser Ajit Doval previously met on Sunday, and both parties agreed to begin disengaging troops along the Line of Actual Control - the de facto border that has existed between the two countries since 1962 Sino-Indian War.
"They reaffirmed that both sides should strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control and should not take any unilateral action to alter the status quo and work together to avoid any incident in the future that could disturb the peace and tranquility in border areas," the Indian Ministry of External Affairs statement on the matter read.
Troops from both sides are now firmly on their respective ends of the Line of Actual Control, according to sources who spoke with New Delhi-based outlet NDTV. Government sources also told the outlet that they are “cautiously hopeful” that China will continue to withdraw from the Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra by the middle of July.
The recent images came alongside White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows’ comments to Fox News regarding the US presence in the South China Sea and the military’s deployment of the aircraft carriers USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan to the region. He also asserted that the US would back India in the event of a possible conflict.
“We’re not going to stand by and let China or anyone else take the reins in terms of being the most powerful, dominant force, whether it’s in that region or over here,” he told the outlet.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows: "Will continue to stand strong" when it comes to ties between India & China

Vdo ctsy: Fox News pic.twitter.com/glQ5EkWi3J
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) July 7, 2020
"The message is clear. Our military might stands strong and will continue to stand strong, whether it's in relationship to a conflict between India and China or anywhere else,” he added.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has condemned the increased US presence and subsequent drills in the South China Sea. Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian argued that the US was attempting to drive a wedge between the two countries with its deployment of the two aircraft carriers to the region.

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Zagdid

Veteran Member

India-China LAC clash: No pullback by Chinese troops in Pangong Tso area, only slight reduction in PLA troops
Updated Jul 09, 2020 | 06:54 IST

The PLA reduced its troops in Pangong Tso area of eastern Ladakh but there has been no pullback like the one which took place in Galwan Valley and Gogra-Hot Springs.


New Delhi: China’s People Liberation Army (PLA) has reduced its troops in the Pangong Tso area of eastern Ladakh but there has been pullback similar to the ones which took place in Galwan Valley and Gogra-Hot Springs.

The Phase-1 of the de-escalation plan will be completed only after the Chinese soldiers withdraw from Finger-4 to Finger-5 area on the north bank of Pangong Tso.

This comes ahead of the joint verification expected to be carried by the Indian and Chinese armies in eastern Ladakh to assess the implementation of the disengagement process.

PLA yet to vacate the area
The two militaries are set to hold extensive talks on finalising modalities for restoring normalcy and bringing back peace and tranquillity in the region after the verification of the disengagement exercise is completed, sources told PTI.

According to a report by TOI, while the PLA has pulled down few tents, moved some vehicles back and slightly reduced its troop at Finger-4 but is yet to vacate the area.

However, Chinese heavy armoured vehicles are still present in the depth areas in the Galwan river area.

Sources aware of the development told TOI that troop confrontation in the lake area is “proving to be the toughest to resolve with over 3,000 PLA soldiers occupying the 8-km stretch from Finger-4 to 8 since early May.”

PLA claims territory till Finger-2
The Chinese military has already withdrawn troops from Galwan Valley and Hot Springs, while the pullback is likely to be over in Gogra on Thursday.

While India wants China to pull back to their post at Finger 8 and permanent bases at Sirijap-I and II further beyond, PLA has claimed territory till Finger-2 after building fortifications and occupying heights from Finger-4 to 8.

India has a post between Finger-2 and 3 and maintains an administrative base between Finger-3 and 4.
 

jward

passin' thru
Vacate Finger 5 area in Pangong lake: India tells China firmly

WION New Delhi Jul 30, 2020, 10.01 PM(IST) Written By: Sidhant Sibal

149153-lake.jpg




Pangong Lake in Leh district in Ladakh Photograph:( AFP )

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Story highlights
While complete disengagement has happened in Galwan Valley and Hot Springs, the process is yet to be completed in Gogra area, Pangong lake for which more talks are expected to happen.


India has firmly told the Chinese side to vacate Finger 5 area in Pangong lake, even as disengagement at the Line of Actual Control(LAC) has reached a critical point.
Also Read: Situation de-escalating at LAC; China will never engage in expansionism: Chinese envoy


While complete disengagement has happened in Galwan Valley and Hot Springs, the process is yet to be completed in Gogra area, Pangong lake for which more talks are expected to happen.
"As per media reports, both sides are building up. When build-up happens to expect Chinese to pull back from Pangong Tso runs contrary", former 14 Corps Commander Lt. General P.J.S. Pannu told WION.


While both sides are in talks for the fifth round of military talks, India has said the disengagement process is yet to be completed.
The ministry of external affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said,"some progress was made towards" disengagement but the "process has as yet not been completed."
"As we have stated earlier, the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is the basis of our bilateral relationship....we expect that the Chinese side will sincerely work with us for complete disengagement and de-escalation and full restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas," Srivastava explained.

The Indian statement comes even as the Chinese side on Wednesday claimed that "frontline border forces of the two countries have disengaged in most locations, and the current situation has continuously improved with eased tensions."
So far since the June 15 Galwan incident, three rounds of military talks on June 22, June 30 and July 14, three rounds of diplomatic talks - Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on June 24, 10 & July 24 and one round of SR level talks between NSA Doval Ajit Doval and Chinese FM Wang Yi has taken place.
Meanwhile, the Chinese envoy Sun Weidong was asked on China making new claims at LAC, he said, "Nothern line in Pangong lake and Chinese customary boundary is in accordance with LAC and no case of Chinese expanding its territorial claim".
He declined to answer Chinese casualties during the Galwan Valley incident when asked and said,"understand the goodwill..we don't want to add more tensions and escalate the situation" at LAC."

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