India, China Hold 36th WMCC Meeting; Review LAC Situation, River Data Sharing
New Delhi: India and China held the 36th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) in New Delhi on Thursday, with the two sides reviewing the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and discussing trans-border river cooperation. India was represented by Joint Secretary (East Asia) Sujit […]
New Delhi: India and China held the 36th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) in New Delhi on Thursday, with the two sides reviewing the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and discussing trans-border river cooperation. India was represented by Joint Secretary (East Asia) Sujit Ghosh, while the Chinese delegation was led by Hou Yanqi, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to an MEA release. During the talks, the two sides discussed the situation along the LAC and agreed to continue using established diplomatic and military channels to address outstanding issues and prevent misunderstandings or miscalculations along the frontier. These include the WMCC, local commander-level meetings and other agreed communication channels. The discussions also followed up on the outcomes of the 24th meeting of the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question. Both sides exchanged views on boundary delimitation, border management, institution-building and trans-border cooperation. India also pressed for an early meeting of the Expert Level Mechanism on trans-border rivers and emphasised the importance of China sharing technical information on upstream projects. Both countries reiterated that maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border is essential for the broader development of India-China relations. The latest talks come amid increased diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Beijing. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Beijing in July, while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of ASEAN-related meetings in Manila. The engagement follows steps taken by the two countries to rebuild ties after the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes and the prolonged military face-off in eastern Ladakh. India and China have since completed disengagement from several friction points and resumed some bilateral activities, including the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, visa services and direct flight connectivity.