India says China did not agree on or bring any forward-looking proposals, China terms Indian demands ‘unreasonable’
NEW DELHI (AA) – A fresh round of military talks between India and China failed to end their standoff in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, India’s Defense Ministry said on Monday.
The 13th round of talks between corps commanders from India and China was held on Sunday.
The two countries are engaged in a face-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) – the de facto border between China and India in the disputed territory of Ladakh.
Tensions soared last June after at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in a clash in Ladakh.
Though the situation calmed down after several rounds of talks, the two sides are yet to reach a resolution and have increased military deployment along the border.
On Monday morning, a ministry statement said the latest meeting focused on resolving the remaining issues along the LAC.
Stating that resolution of disputes over border areas would facilitate progress in bilateral relations, the ministry said the Indian side “made constructive suggestions” for resolving the issues.
The Chinese, however, could not agree or provide any forward-looking proposals, the statement said, adding that the two sides have agreed to maintain communications and stability on the ground.
“It is our expectation that the Chinese side will take into account the overall perspective of bilateral relations and will work towards early resolution of the remaining issues, while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols,” read the statement.
China says Indian demands ‘unreasonable’
The Chinese military, meanwhile, said the Indian side “still persisted in its unreasonable and unrealistic demands, which added difficulties to the negotiations.”
China has made great efforts to ease the border situation and fully demonstrated Beijing’s sincerity in maintaining bilateral military relations, a spokesman for the Western Theater Command of the Chinese military said in a statement.
Stressing that China remains firm in its resolve to protect national sovereignty, the spokesman said the “Indian side should avoid misjudging the situation and cherish the hard-won situation in the China-India border areas.”
“The Indian side should abide by the relevant agreements and consensus reached between the two countries and two militaries, show sincerity, and take concrete actions to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the border areas with China,” the statement added.