VIENTIANE, Laos: Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met on Thursday in Laos, on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, to discuss the longstanding border issues between their countries.
This meeting, occurring just three weeks after their previous discussion in Kazakhstan, highlights the ongoing diplomatic efforts to address the tensions that have strained Indo-Chinese relations.
Both nations share a lengthy and poorly demarcated Himalayan border, which has been a flashpoint since the deadly clash in July 2020, resulting in casualties on both sides.
The two ministers emphasized the importance of resolving the border situation and adhering to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and existing agreements. Jaishankar stressed the need for strong guidance to complete the disengagement process, while Wang reiterated the necessity of managing the border situation and normalizing other aspects of bilateral relations.
Since the 2020 standoff, both India and China have reinforced their positions along the border, a situation compounded by historical tensions dating back to the 1962 border war. The two foreign ministers agreed on the need for purposeful and urgent action to achieve complete disengagement, acknowledging that the state of the border will influence the broader state of their relationship.
