BEIJING: China and India are taking actions to ease situation along border after the diplomatic and military channels of two countries reached a positive consensus, Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Hua Chunying said here on Wednesday.
“Recently the diplomatic and military channels of China and India held effective communication on the situation along the border, reached positive consensus and the two sides are following this consensus to take actions to ease the situation along the border,” she said during her regular briefing when asked to confirm the reports that Chinese and Indian border troops were disengaging and moving back from their previous locations in Eastern Ladakh.
China-India border tensions flared up after India recently illegally constructed defence facilities across the border into Chinese territory in the Galwan Valley region.
This dispute which has seen thousands of troops sent to both sides of the disputed border.
Earlier, India unilaterally declared Ladakh a federal territory while separating it from disputed Kashmir in August 2019. China strongly condemned the move, raising it at international forums including the U.N. Security Council.
However, a meeting between Chinese delegation led by Maj Gen Liu Lin, commander of the South Xinjiang military region and Indian delegation led Lt Gen Harinder Singh, commander of Leh-based 14 Corps was held in Chusul-Moldo region on June 6. The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed early this week that talks had resulted in positive agreements between the two sides.
The China-India border dispute covers nearly 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) of frontier that the two countries call the Line of Actual Control. They fought a war in 1962 that spilled into Ladakh. The two sides have been trying since the early 1990s to settle their dispute without success. China claims about 90,000 square kilometers (35,000 square miles) of territory under New Delhi’s control.
Earlier in Press conference, Chinese spokeperson said in respond to a question that today marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the Philippines. As Foreign Secretary Locsin said, the friendship between the two countries is old because our exchanges can date back to ancient times. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 45 years ago, China-Philippines relations have been moving forward steadily thanks to the joint efforts of successive leaders and peoples on both sides. In particular, in recent years, under the guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Duterte, the two countries have taken the opportunity of the Belt and Road Initiative to synergize development strategies. With fruitful cooperation outcomes in various fields, China-Philippines relations have grown more vibrant. In the face of the challenge of COVID-19, the two countries have worked together and lent assistance to each other, which has written a new chapter in our traditional friendship and added new dimensions to our comprehensive strategic partnership.
Taking the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties as a new starting point, China will continue working with the Philippines to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, further enhance political mutual trust, deepen all-round cooperation and make greater contribution to the well-being of the two peoples and regional prosperity and stability. China highly appreciates Foreign Secretary Locsin’s remarks in support of the national security legislation for Hong Kong. As he said, Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs that allow no foreign interference. I believe Foreign Secretary Locsin’s attitude represents the rational voices and the strength for justice, which come from the majority in the world.
Replying to another question related to current protests in US she said that you have been following the situation very closely. I also read these reports, and I have similar doubts as you do. If those cases happened in other countries like China and Russia, how would some US politicians and media react? China is committed to provide all necessary convenience and facilitation for foreign media to do their job in our country. We hope the US will drop its double standards on media-related matters.
Moreover, mentioning Chinese and Singaporean cooperation, she said that China and Singapore are each other’s important partners for cooperation. Since the epidemics broke out, the two countries have been in close collaboration while supporting and assisting each other. After two months of communication and preparation, both sides agreed to launch a fast lane yesterday to facilitate essential business and official travel.
This is an important step for China and Singapore to return to regular exchange and cooperation and resume production and work while both sides are working on an ongoing basis to contain the virus. It is also China’s first fast-lane arrangement with a Southeast Asian country that contributes to not only each other’s socio-economic development, but also the stability of regional and even global industrial and supply chains. In the first phase, the fast lane is established between six Chinese provinces and municipalities and Singapore. The arrangement will be gradually expanded to other localities, and the two sides will discuss gradually resuming commercial flights.
The fast lane between China and the ROK is also in operation with good results. The fast lane arrangement between China and Germany is recently implemented and welcomed by the economic communities on both sides. The first two charter flights carrying German nationals returning to workplace in China arrived in Tianjin and Shanghai on May 30 and June 4 respectively.–Agencies
