India, China review border situation, prepare for SR dialogue

India and China on Wednesday reviewed the overall situation along the Line of Actual Control LAC in eastern Ladakh and prepared the ground for the next edition of the Special Representatives dialogue on the boundary question reported news agency PTIThe two sides discussed the issues at a meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination WMCC that took place in DelhiThey expressed satisfaction with the general prevalence of peace and tranquillity in the border areas leading to gradual normalisation of bilateral relations the Ministry of External Affairs MEA said reported PTIIt said India and China also prepared for the next round of the Special Representatives SR talks to be held in India later this yearWhile Indias Special Representative for the dialogue is National Security Adviser NSA Ajit Doval the Chinese side is headed by Foreign Minister Wang YiWang is expected to visit India for the upcoming SR talks The last episode of the SR dialogue was held in Beijing in December last yearOn the WMCC talks the MEA said the two sides reviewed the situation in the IndiaChina border areas reported PTIThey agreed to maintain regular exchanges and contacts on issues related to the boundary affairs at the diplomatic and military levels through established mechanisms it said in a statement reported PTIWith a view to advancing effective border management and sustaining peace and tranquillity the two sides deliberated on various measures as explored during the previous 23rd round of SR talks the MEA saidThe Indian delegation at the WMCC talks was led by Gourangalal Das the joint secretary East Asia division in the MEA The Chinese side was headed by Hong Liang the director general of the boundary and oceanic affairs department of the Chinese foreign ministry reported PTIHong also called on Foreign Secretary Vikram MisriOver the last nine months India and China have been engaged in normalising their relations after ending the military faceoff along the LAC in October last yearThough the two sides have disengaged troops from the friction points they are yet to deescalate the situation by pulling back the frontline forces from the borderEach side currently has around 50000 to 60000 troops along the LAC in the eastern Ladakh regionThe WMCC talks took place days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited China to attend a conclave of the foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation SCO reported PTIThe military standoff in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020 and a deadly clash in the Galwan valley in June that year resulted in a severe strain in ties between the two neighboursThe faceoff effectively ended following the completion of the disengagement process from the last two friction points of Demchok and Depsang under an agreement finalised on October 21 last year reported PTIThe decision to revive various dialogue mechanisms was taken at a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Russian city of Kazan in October last yearThe ModiXi meeting came two days after India and China firmed up the disengagement pact for Depsang and DemchokWith inputs from PTI