India-China hold first WMCC talks on border affairs after Doklam Standoff

For the first time after Doklam Standoff, India and China on Friday held 10^th round of WMCC talks on border affairs and discussed several issues including enhancement of CBMs and military contacts.

“The 10th round of Working Mechanism on Consultation & Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs held on 17 November in Beijing,” Indian Embassy in China tweeted after the meeting.

“Both sides reviewed the situation in all sectors of India-China border and agreed that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is an important prerequisite for sustained growth of bilateral relations,” Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.

The delegations of both countries comprised of diplomatic and military officials from each side. The Indian delegation was led by Shri Pranay Verma, Joint Secretary (East Asia), Ministry of External Affairs.

The WMCC was established in 2012 as an institutional mechanism for consultation and coordination for the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas.

It was established to deal with the tensions over recurring border incursions as well as to exchange views on strengthening communication and cooperation, including between the border security personnel.

The 10th round of talks of Working Mechanism was the first after the recent 73-day long Doklam standoff at Sikkim sector.

The standoff which began in mid-June ended on August 28 after Chinese troops stopped building a key road close to India’s Chicken Neck corridor. India objected to the construction highlighting its security concerns. The road was being built by the Chinese troops in the area also claimed by Bhutan.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488 km long Line of Actual Control (LAC). While China claims Arunachal Pradesh as Southern Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covered Aksai Chin area which was occupied by China during the 1962 war.

(With PTI inputs)