“We stand ready to work with India in the direction toward steady and sound growth of China-India relations," the minister told reporters.
This declaration was made in response to the conflict that broke out between Indian and Chinese soldiers on December 9 in the Tawang area of Arunachal Pradesh. India and China met at the Chushul-Moldo border crossing point on the Chinese side for the 17th round of their Corps Commander Level Meeting and decided to keep the security and stability of the Western Sector in place.
Arunachal Pradesh, the easternmost state of India, and Tibet, which is ruled by China, share a disputed boundary that was attempted to be moved by a small group of Chinese soldiers in the early hours of December 9 using batons, spikes, and other crude weapons. The outpost was located on a ridge. 34 Indian soldiers were hurt in the intense clash that ensued after the Indian Army repelled the invaders.
While the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) claimed its troops were on a routine patrol when they were "blocked by the Indian Army illegally crossing" the border, also known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India accused Beijing of attempting to unilaterally change the status quo whereas Beijing denied this.
In order to avoid a face-to-face encounter at the crest, close to the edge of the Yangtse plateau, local military officers from both sides agreed to a pullout two days later. Even so, the distance between Chinese and Indian forces is still only 500 feet.
"In the interim, the two sides agreed to maintain the security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector," according to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement.
The MEA statement said the two sides agreed to stay in close contact, and maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest.
(With ANI inputs)
