Respect for LAC essential for normalcy in relations, EAM Jaishankar tells Chinese FM

Vientiane: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar once again stressed the importance of the three mutuals – mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity – to India-China ties during his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ meetings in Laos’ capital Vientiane, on Thursday.

“Continued our ongoing discussions about our bilateral relationship. The state of the border will necessarily be reflected on the state of our ties. Agreed on the need to give strong guidance to complete the disengagement process,” EAM Jaishankar posted on X after the meeting with Wang Yi who is also the Member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Political Bureau.

“Must ensure full respect for the LAC and past agreements. It is in our mutual interest to stabilize our ties. We should approach the immediate issues with a sense of purpose and urgency,” Jaishankar added.

The meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement later, gave the two ministers an opportunity to review the situation since their last meeting at Astana in July, with their talks focusing on “finding an early resolution” of the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to stabilise and rebuild bilateral relations.

“Both ministers agreed on the need to work with purpose and urgency to achieve complete disengagement at the earliest. Peace and tranquillity on the borders and respect for LAC are essential for normalcy in bilateral relations. Both sides must fully abide by relevant bilateral agreements, protocols, and understandings reached between the two Governments in the past,” read the MEA statement.

Both sides will also hold an early meeting of the Working Mechanism on Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) to take the discussions forward.

IANS