LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1560
TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2021
VIRTUAL MEETING WITH CHINA
1560. SHRI MANISH TEWARI:
Will the Minister of External Affairs be pleased to state:
(a) the number and details of physical and virtual meetings that the Minister held with his Chinese counterpart and other senior functionaries of the People’s Republic of China since the standoff on the border commenced in April, 2020;
(b) the details of physical or virtual meetings that the Prime Minister had with the President of the People’s Republic of China during this period;
(c) the agreements reached upon in the meeting between the Minister and his Chinese counterpart in their meeting held in Moscow on the 10th of September, 2020; and
(d) the reasons for Chinese not yet withdrawing from the Indian territory illegally occupied by them since April, 2020 despite such high level negotiations and mediation?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]
(a) to (d) Since April/May 2020 the Chinese side had made several attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Western Sector. These attempts have been responded to appropriately by our armed forces. It has been
made clear to the Chinese side that such unilateral attempts are unacceptable. These actions have seriously disturbed the peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector.
In this regard, External Affairs Minister had a telephone conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 17 June 2020. Further, External Affairs Minister had a physical meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 10 September 2020 in Moscow. The
two Foreign Ministers agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side. They agreed therefore that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease
tensions. The two Foreign Ministers also agreed that both sides shall abide by all the existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters.
In order to ensure complete disengagement from all friction points and full restoration of peace and tranquility in the India-China Border Areas, diplomatic and military engagements with the Chinese side have continued. Six meetings of the Working Mechanism
for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC) and nine meetings of the Senior Commanders have been held so far.
Government will continue discussions with the Chinese side to achieve the objective of disengagement from all friction points and restoration of peace and tranquility in the India-China Border Areas at an early date.
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