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China calls India border generally stable now
The Hindu··13 Aug
China's Foreign Ministry said on August 12 that the India-China border is generally stable at the moment, responding to questions on reports of activity near Arunachal Pradesh. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun cited the 36th Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination meeting held last week. India's MEA had said the previous day that peace in border areas is of utmost importance.
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What It Means For You
- If you follow India-China ties, Beijing's 'generally stable' line sits beside Delhi's statement that border peace will shape the rest of the relationship.
- Residents and travellers in Arunachal Pradesh can note both sides were asked about reports of activity in the eastern sector, which neither fully detailed in public.
- Anyone tracking talks can mark August 6 as the 36th WMCC meeting, the diplomatic channel both cited this week.
What's Happening
- On August 12 Guo Jiakun said the China-India border situation is generally stable at the moment and pointed to last week's WMCC meeting.
- On August 11 Randhir Jaiswal said maintenance of peace and tranquillity in border areas is of utmost importance and that border affairs will reflect on bilateral ties.
- Questions in both capitals followed reports of rising tension and patrols with overlapping claims in Arunachal Pradesh's eastern sector since late July.
What the WMCC Is Designed to Do
- The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs is a diplomatic forum created to manage LAC friction between special representative-level talks.
- China still describes Arunachal Pradesh as Zangnan or southern Tibet in its maps, which is why Beijing answers Arunachal questions as a sovereignty claim as well as a military one.
- India recently assigned official names to 27 places in Arunachal Pradesh, a move Chinese state media criticised in the same news cycle as these border remarks.
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