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India-China Special Representatives Meet on Boundary Issues

NSA Ajit Doval and Wang Yi at the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives of India and China in Beijing
NSA Ajit Doval and Wang Yi at the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives of India and China in Beijing

The Big Breaking News on December 19, 2024 was that Special Representatives (SRs) of India and China, NSA Ajit Doval and Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, had met on December 18 and arrived at a “six Point Consensus” on the boundary issue. Both discussed ways to strengthen peace and tranquillity in border areas in accordance with the consensus reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia on October 23, 2024. This was the 23rd meeting of the SRs on the boundary question and first in five years since 2019. NSA Doval also called on China’s Vice President Han Zheng during his visit.

Main points of the brief of the meeting issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl%2F38805%2F23rd_Meeting_of_the_Special_Representatives_of_India_and_China)  are as under:

  • The SRs met to oversee management of peace and tranquillity in border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question.
  • Both reiterated the importance of maintaining a political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship while seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for settlement of the boundary question and resolved to inject more vitality into this process.
  • Both positively affirmed the implementation of the latest disengagement agreement of October 2024, resulting in patrolling and grazing in relevant areas.
  • Both underlined the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in border areas to promote overall development of the India-China bilateral relationship, emphasizing the need to ensure peace so that border issues do not hold back normal development of bilateral relations. Drawing on events of 2020, they discussed measures to maintain peace and tranquillity on the border and advance effective border management.
  • Both exchanged views on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest, provided positive directions for cross-border cooperation/exchanges including resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, data sharing on trans-border rivers and border trade.
NSA Ajit Doval and Wang Yi at the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives of India and China in Beijing
NSA Ajit Doval and Wang Yi at the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives of India and China in Beijing

According to China’s Foreign Ministry, India and China have reached a six-point consensus including the resumption of Indian pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, cross border river cooperation and Nathula border trade. The details, as given by china.org.cn are as under:

  • Both sides positively evaluated the solution reached between the two countries on border issues, reiterated that the implementation work should continue.
  • The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to continue seeking a solution to the boundary issue in accordance with the political guidelines agreed upon on resolving the boundary issue in yr 2005.
  • The two sides assessed the border situation and agreed to further refine the management and control rules in the border area and strengthen the building of CBM.
  • The two sides agreed to continue to strengthen cross-border exchanges and cooperation, and promote the resumption of Indian’s pilgrimage to Tibet, China, cross-border river cooperation and Nathula border trade.
  • China-India Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on Border Affairs (WMCC) to carry out follow up implementation of this special representatives meeting.
  • The two sides agreed to hold a new round of special representatives' meetings in India next year.

In the above context, a reading of India and Chinese statements after the meeting of the two SRs published in ‘The India China Newsletter’ (https://indiachina.substack.com/p/a-reading-of-indias-and-chinas-statements) makes for interesting observations. The article brings out that China had more to say than the MES brief; by putting out two statements in Mandarin, in addition to a statement on the “Six Point Consensus” reached by both sides.

Viewed separately, the Indian statement lays emphasis on the SRs reiterating the importance of maintaining a political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship while seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for settlement of the boundary question, and resolving to inject more vitality into this process.

In the case of China, Wang Yi stressed “putting the border issue in an appropriate position in bilateral relations”, jointly maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas, and promoting China-India relations to return to the track of healthy and stable development as soon as possible.

Salient points mentioned in the Chinese statement on the ‘six-point consensus’ include the following: both sides positively evaluated solution reached on border-related issues (resumption of patrolling), both agreed to take measures to maintain peace and tranquillity in border areas; both reiterated keep looking for a package solution to resolve the border issue in accordance with political guiding principles reached by both SRs in 2005; both agreed  to further refine border area control and rules and strengthen CBMs, strengthen cross-border exchanges/ cooperation, promote the resumption of Indian pilgrims' pilgrimage to Tibet, China, cross-border river cooperation and Nathula border trade.

The article lists out the following three points of agreement in both statements: one, both positively evaluated where things presently are; two, both agreed on CBMs, but will this lead to de-escalation and de-induction; three, resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, river data sharing and border trade.

What does all this add up to? A dispassionate analysis of the two statements and the write up in the ‘The India China Newsletter’ would indicate that there is no fundamental change in China’s position from what Wang Yi has stated now - putting the border issue in an appropriate position in bilateral relations or rather delink border issue from bilateral relations. This is something which China has been conveying in various meetings earlier, including the meetings between the two SRs.

China’s stance on the boundary issue is not going to change since Beijing holds all the aces and it now also has Bangladesh’s Islamist government as a China-Pakistan ally – courtesy the US which worked assiduously to change the regime in that country (https://thegrayzone.com/2024/09/30/us-plot-destabilize-bangladesh/). Moreover, the India-China bilateral trade continues to weigh heavily in Beijing’s favour and China can invest in India as it wants directly or indirectly. China has invested in the electronics sector in India and Chinese parts are used in power and telecom sectors in India, which endangers security (https://www.sps-aviation.com/experts-speak/?id=894&h=Chinas-Cyber-Spy-Sabotage-Network) . China’s unchanged stance on the border issue was confirmed when indigenous media reported the following (https://www.indiandefensenews.in/2024/12/india-refuses-to-endorse-china-on-lac.html):

  • India's recent diplomatic stance regarding its border dispute with China, particularly along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), reflects a significant refusal to endorse China's narrative on the boundary issue.
  • On December 20, 2024, India explicitly rejected China's claims regarding a so-called "six-point consensus" on the boundary issue. This rejection came after a Special Representatives meeting aimed at addressing the long-standing territorial disputes. Indian officials emphasized that any consensus must respect India's territorial integrity and sovereignty, indicating that India would not accept unilateral changes proposed by China.
  • India has firmly stated that it does not recognize China's assertions regarding the boundary consensus, asserting its own territorial claims instead.
  • India's refusal to endorse China's claims is likely to complicate future diplomatic engagements.
  • India's recent diplomatic stance regarding its border dispute with China, particularly along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), reflects a significant refusal to endorse China's narrative on the boundary issue.
  • On December 20, 2024, India explicitly rejected China's claims regarding a so-called "six-point consensus" on the boundary issue. This rejection came after a Special Representatives meeting aimed at addressing the long-standing territorial disputes. Indian officials emphasized that any consensus must respect India's territorial integrity and sovereignty, indicating that India would not accept unilateral changes proposed by China.
  • India has firmly stated that it does not recognize China's assertions regarding the boundary consensus, asserting its own territorial claims instead.
  • India's refusal to endorse China's claims is likely to complicate future diplomatic engagements.

A number of questions arise here. Why was the above not included in the MEA brief covering the SRs meeting? Was it to show that the meeting did not go as planned? Was this to save face in India? What boundary changes has China proposed and did the two parties agree to keep the matter public? Most importantly, has MEA/India “officially” rejected the boundary changes proposed by China or is this news in Indian media without an official intimation to China rejecting the offer?

The only plausible reason for not disclosing the package deal proposed by China possibly is that it will blow away the carefully crafted narrative by dim-willed policy advisors of a “thaw” in bilateral relations, which actually boils down to permitting our troops to patrol their own areas. The mention of the proposal impinging on our sovereignty and territorial integrity indicates it could be as drastic as handing over Ladakh to China in exchange of China giving up its claim to Arunachal Pradesh or vice versa, But why not let the public know the real face of China? India was united faced with the Chinese invasion in 1962 and will be united again in such a situation, notwithstanding the election-related power games leading to polarization. China has ordered one million ‘kamikaze’ drones to be delivered by 2026 (https://www.theinteldrop.org/2024/12/22/china-orders-one-million-kamikaze-drones-does-this-militarily-erase-nato/). This can’t be only for the capture of Taiwan, which is 1/16th the size of Ukraine,

Finally, India can rejoice the Mansarovar Yatra and the Nathula trade unless hiccups arise. As regards to sharing river water data, China weaponized water years back (lakes and underground channels included) and what data it wants to share is Beijing’s decision.

About the author

Lt. Gen. Prakash Katoch (Ret'd)

Lt. Gen. Prakash Katoch (Ret'd)

The author is a former Lieutenant General of the Indian Army, former Director General of Information Systems and a Special Forces Veteran.

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