India, China reach 5-point consensus to ease border tensions

Geeta Mohan, India Today, New Delhi, September 11, 2020 : A more than four-month long border standoff, with numerous levels of diplomatic and military conversations culminated in the in-person bilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of India and China on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) ministerial meeting in Moscow, Russia on Thursday (September 10).

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart held an almost two-hour-long discussion reaching a “five-point” consensus to ease the ongoing border tensions. The Indian delegation included Indian envoy to China Vikram Misri.

Despite unprecedented levels of escalations leading to gunshots being fired at the LAC for the first time since 1975, the joint statement issued by both the ministries said, “Both Ministers had a frank and constructive discussion on the developments in the India-China border areas as well as on India-China relations.”

While the consensus document emphasised on the aspect of dialogue and engagement, sources told India Today that Dr Jaishankar highlighted the “strong concern at the massing of Chinese troops with equipment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The presence of such large concentration of troops was not in accordance with the 1993 and 1996 Agreements and created flashpoints along the LAC.”

He told Wang Yi that the Chinese side “has not provided a credible explanation for this deployment. The provocative behavior of Chinese frontline troops at numerous incidents of friction along the LAC also showed disregard for bilateral agreements and protocols.”

Wang Yi, according to a statement released by the Chinese foreign ministry, “outlined China's stern position on the situation in the border areas, emphasising that the imperative is to immediately stop provocations such as firing and other dangerous actions that violate the commitments made by the two sides.”

“It is also important to move back all personnel and equipment that have trespassed. The frontier troops must quickly disengage so that the situation may de-escalate,” the Chinese foreign minister told his Indian counterpart.

The five-point consensus between India and China is as follows:

1. The two Ministers agreed that both sides should take guidance from the series of consensus of the leaders on developing India-China relations, including not allowing differences to become disputes.

2. The two Foreign Ministers agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side. They agreed therefore that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions.

3. The two Ministers agreed that both sides shall abide by all the existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters.

4. The two sides also agreed to continue to have dialogue and communication through the Special Representative mechanism on the India-China boundary question. They also agreed in this context that the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC), should also continue its meetings.

5. The Ministers agreed that as the situation eases, the two sides should expedite work to conclude new Confidence Building Measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

While both sides have decided to not allow “differences” to become “disputes”, the two sides have not moved from their earlier position on the reality of the ground situation.

India continues to maintain the need for restoration of status quo ante to what it was in April of this year.

“The immediate task is to ensure a comprehensive disengagement of troops in all the friction areas. That is necessary to prevent any untoward incident in the future. The final disposition of the troop deployment to their permanent posts and the phasing of the process is to be worked out by the military commanders,” say Indian government sources.

Interestingly, the Chinese believe, “The Indian side does not consider the development of India-China relations to be dependent on the settlement of the boundary question and India does not want to go backwards”,

The Indian External Affairs Minister before leaving for Moscow, during an interaction on Monday had said in no uncertain words, “The state of the border cannot be de-linked from the state of the relationship. We have an understanding on border management which goes back to 1993... If peace and tranquility at the border is not a given then the rest of the relationship cannot be on an upward trajectory. Peace and tranquility is the basis for the relationship.”

In a changed environment, the two sides have agreed to expedite work to conclude “new Confidence Building Measures” to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

But, without immediate de-escalation and complete disengagement in sight, confidence and trust are at a nadir.

With winters approaching, returning to normalcy should be the need of the hour. A long drawn quest for confidence building measures would mean that the troops should prepare for a long, cold, winter at the border and a chill in other aspects of bilateral ties.