China to use existing mechanism over border issues with India

Beijing, May 9 (IANS) China hopes to use existing mechanisms to carry out discussions with India over border issues, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

“We hope to use currently available mechanisms to conduct friendly consultations with India on border issues,” Xinhua quoted spokesperson Hua Chunying as saying at a press conference.

She was responding to a question on whether the two countries will sign a new border peace treaty.

“We will work with India to jointly safeguard peace and stability in border regions and find a solution that is just, reasonable and acceptable for both sides,” Hua said.

Hua said mechanisms related to border issues have been established. Special representatives on border issues started meeting in 2003 and a bilateral working mechanism for consultation and coordination on border affairs was launched in 2012.

Last week, intense negotiations between India and China saw an end to a 20-day stand-off, with troops of both sides pulling back to their respective positions prior to April 15 – when Chinese forces intruded 19 km inside the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.

Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid was scheduled to pay an official visit to China May 9-10 as a guest of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign ministry earlier said.

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