India and China, which are seeking to resolve the border conflict recently, completed withdrawal near Lake Pangong, one of the major disputed areas.
According to Indian media such as Times of India on the 22nd (local time), the Ministry of Defense of India released a joint statement on this matter the afternoon of the previous day.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defense said, “The two sides positively evaluated that the front units had successfully withdrawn from the Pangong Lake area.”
Pangong Lake is located in the eastern part of the Ladakh region in northern India and is one of the key areas of the bilateral border dispute.
India and China even fought war due to border issues in 1962, but they have not established their borders and are facing the actual control line (LAC).
In some regions, the position of LAC claimed by both sides is different, and each time a dispute arises, each other claims that the other party has invaded their territory.
In particular, the two countries clashed several times in the Ladakh region, including the Pangong-ho scuffle in May last year, the Galwan Valley’Clash of Clubs’ in June, where 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers died, and the use of firearms after 45 years in September, raising tensions.
The two sides have since held 10 military talks to ease tensions, and it is known that the talks on the 20th discussed the issue of withdrawal from other conflict areas in Ladakh, such as Hot Springs, Gogra Valley, and Depsang Plain.
In a statement, the two sides rated the withdrawal of the Pangong Lake area as “a significant step forward that provides a good basis for resolving the remaining issues of LAC.”
“The two sides will try to find mutually acceptable solutions for the remaining issues,” he added. “We also agreed to keep in touch and communicate with each other in order to stabilize and control the situation.”
However, experts point out that although the two countries have found clues to easing border conflict, tensions have not yet been fully resolved.
Times of India reported, “Despite 16 hours of talks (on the 20th), the two sides ended the deadlock in LAC and failed to find a breakthrough.”
He pointed out that there are still differences of opinion regarding the easing of tensions in other conflict areas such as the Gogra region.
Meanwhile, the Indian federal government has also begun gradually easing restrictions on investment from China, which has been virtually blocked since mid-last year, Times of India reported.
The newspaper cited officials from the authorities and said that in the past few weeks, approval of small-scale direct investment from China has begun.
Officials added, “However, approval for large-scale investments will begin after a close analysis of the situation.”
In India, anti-China sentiment grew after a border conflict with China last year.
Indians held anti-China protests and boycotted Chinese products, and the government canceled various projects related to China. Measures such as strengthening trade barriers related to Chinese imports, restrictions on investment from China, and banning Chinese smartphone applications (apps) have also been introduced.
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