Responsibility to reduce tensions at the LAC rests with China: Indian MEA S. Jaishankar

New Delhi/ Beijing: The 12th round of discussion will start between India and China to reduce the tension at LAC. So, China is the only one responsible for improving its relations with India, indicated Indian MEA S. Jaishankar. However, China has not entirely withdrawn its military deployment at the LAC. MEA Jaishankar reminded that China had agreed to withdraw its soldiers on paper. However, the Chinese foreign ministry claimed that the Chinese deployment is defensive and for countering border intrusion. Moreover, the ministry also expects India to not link the border tension to the bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

The Chinese army deployment still exists in the parts of the LAC. Also, MEA S. Jaishankar reminded that China had agreed on paper to withdraw its army from the border and bound to that agreement. However, he also warned that China could not ignore India’s susceptibility in this regard. Moreover, its relations with India will not resolve unless China withdraws its army from the border, MEA Jaishankar indicated. MEA Jaishankar thus, warned that it is up to China to reduce tension at the LAC and establish goodwill with India. The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded to this warning.

The Chinese army deployment near the LAC is defensive, and it is the usual spot for the deployment. Moreover, China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that this deployment stops others from land encroachment. At the same time, Lijian also expressed his expectation that the border conflict should be resolved via negotiation and not affect the India-China bilateral cooperation. Hence, India and China seem firm on their stance regarding the border tension on the LAC. But, MEA S. Jaishankar had warned several times earlier that China cannot deploy thousands of soldiers at the LAC border and expect cooperation from India. However, China has said to India to keep the bilateral ties unaffected. Furthermore, China demands India not to mention Ladakh LAC’s issue in the discussion between the senior officials of the two countries. Instead, it wants the local authorities to negotiate and solve the matter.

As a result, the 12th round of discussion between the officials may turn out futile. However, before this discussion, China caused fuss that India encroached upon its land. Recently, the Chinese mouthpiece Global Times accused India of capturing the Chinese land using the Salami Slicing method. Besides, last year, an injured Chinese soldier in the border conflict said that he would rather die than give up his country’s land to India on a Chinese news channel. Against this background, China seems to have changed its stance regarding the border conflict.