At the 9th round of Corps Commanders talks on Sunday that went on for 16 hours, India and China had a “candid and in-depth exchange of views” on disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and both sides agreed to hold the 10th round at an early date to “jointly” advance de-escalation.
“The two sides agreed that this round of meeting was positive, practical and constructive, which further enhanced mutual trust and understanding. The two sides agreed to push for an early disengagement of the frontline troops. They also agreed to follow the important consensus of their state leaders, maintain the good momentum of dialogue and negotiation, and hold the 10th round of the Corps Commander level meeting at an early date to jointly advance de-escalation,” the two sides said in a joint statement issued on Monday.
The two sides agreed to continue their “effective efforts” in ensuring the restraint of the front line troops, stabilise and control the situation along the LAC in the Western sector of the China-India border, and jointly maintain peace and tranquility, the statement stated.
The talks began around 10 a.m. on Sunday and concluded around 2:30 a.m. on Monday. They were held at the Moldo border personnel meeting point on the Chinese side opposite Chishul in Eastern Ladakh.
The talks are guided by the five-point plan for disengagement and de-escalation agreed between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow on September 10 last. After the 6th round of talks on September 21 last, both sides, for the first time, issued a joint statement in which they agreed to “stop sending more troops to the front line” and “refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground.”
