The Indian Foreign Secretary on Wednesday said that the relationship between New Delhi and China has to be based on 3 mutuals: “Mutual respect”, “mutual sensitivity” and “mutual interest”.
“We have made it clear to China that peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the development of our relationship. Development of India-China relationship has to be based on 'three mutuals' - mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest,” Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla said.
Foreign Secretary made these comments just days before the 15th Corps Commander-level talks between the two countries to find mutually acceptable solutions to the remaining border issues.
The talks will be hosted by India on 11th March at the Chushul Moldo sector in Ladakh at the LAC.
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The previous 14 rounds of talks have resolved issues pertaining to areas of North and South Bank of Pangong Tso, Galwan and Gogra Hot Springs.
In another reference to China, FS Shrighla said that even though geographical closeness/proximity requires sharing solutions to common issues faced by the respective countries, it also means that the critical security concerns and policy challenges come from neighbouring countries.
China on Wednesday said that it hoped that Beijing and New Delhi will make significant progress to achieve settlement on the border issue which is acceptable to both the countries.
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“We hope at the upcoming round of talks; the two sides can make a further step forward on the border issue. We hope we can seek proper settlement of the disputes and reach a solution that is acceptable to both sides,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.
Recently, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that New Delhi and Beijing must stop “draining each other’s energies” and work together to accomplish respective economic and social goals.
In a recent report titled “Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence community” compiled by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, it cited the 2020 lethal Galwan clashes as a critical event which has strained the relations between the two nuclear armed neighbours.
