China, India to set up hotlines between military headquarters

Beijing, Oct 20: India and China have agreed to step up engagements between their militaries by setting up hotlines between the army headquarters and establish new border meeting posts to address incidents of incursions like the one in Ladakh area last month, Chinese Foreign Ministry said today.

During the last week's Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) held in New Delhi, both side held candid, amicable and constructive consultations and reached the broad consensus on measures safeguarding peace and stability of the border area, Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said here.

"Both sides agreed to establish regular meeting mechanism between the two military headquarters of neighbouring military areas and border troops, to set up new border meeting posts in the border areas between the two countries, set up hotlines between military headquarters of two sides," she said.

The consensus fully demonstrates strong willingness and positive attitude between two countries in properly dealing with the differences and safeguarding stability of border through cooperation, Hua told a media briefing.

"We also believe these measures will help to build communication and connections between two militaries especially the two border troops and will help the two sides to properly deal with border affairs," she said.

"The stable and sound development of China and India relations serves the fundamental interests of the two countries. We would like to make efforts to properly deal with border related affairs through consultations and maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas," she said.

Hua said during two-day meeting from October 16, officials of foreign and defence ministries of the two sides spoke highly of the proper settlement through friendly consultations the stalemate in the western section of the China-India border, indirectly referring to the standoff at Chumar in Ladakh region coinciding with the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

It finally ended after hectic talks with both sides withdrawing to positions they held on September 1, 2014.

Both agreed to proceed from overall interests in safeguarding peace and tranquillity in the borders between the two countries so as to create favourable conditions for the development of bilateral relations, she said.

PTI