China, India talk to promote ties

New Delhi: Several months after ending their military face-off at Doklam in Bhutanese territory, India and China on Thursday “agreed to explore the possibility of strengthening cooperation through institutionalised dialogue mechanisms in order to promote better understanding and cooperation between the two defence forces.”

Last year, tension has prevailed between  the two nations after Indian and Chinese troops were involved in a 73-day-long face-off in Doklam that was ended after intense diplomatic negotiations.

The two giant neighbours held the “11th round of the Working Mechanism on Consultation & Coordination (WMCC) for India-China Border Affairs” in New Delhi on Thursday during which both sides “exchanged views on ways to improve border management”.

The Indian delegation “was led by Pranay Verma, joint secretary (east Asia), ministry of external affairs, while the Chinese delegation was led by Yi Xianliang, director general, department of boundary and oceanic affairs, ministry of foreign affairs of the People’s Republic of China”.

According to the MEA, the discussions were held in a “friendly and cordial” atmosphere, with the two countries “underlining that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas” as an “important pre-requisite for further development of bilateral relations between the two countries”. “Various confidence building measures aimed at enhancing mutual trust were discussed,” the MEA said.