National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi over video call on Sunday (July 5) evening. According to sources, talks, which continued for almost 2 hours, were held in a cordial and forward-looking manner.
The focus of the conversation between NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was the “full and enduring restoration of peace and tranquillity and to work together to avoid such incidents in future,” sources added.
Earlier in the day, China said the front-line troops are taking effective measures and making progress to disengage and ease the tensions in the Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control with India. China’s People’s Liberation Army was seen removing tents and structures at patrolling point 14, the sources said in New Delhi, adding the rearward movement of vehicles of Chinese troops was seen in the general area of Galwan and Gogra Hot Springs.
According to ANI, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian reacted to the disengagement move and said, “there is progress made on front-line troops taking effective measures to disengage and ease the tensions.” He said the Chinese and Indian troops held commander-level talks on June 30 as the two sides continued to work to implement the consensus reached at the two previous rounds of talks.
“We hope the Indian side will move towards China and through concrete actions implement the consensus and continue the close communication through military and diplomatic channels to jointly push for the de-escalation on the border region,” Zhao said.
The remarks of Zhao Lijian came after government sources in New Delhi said the Chinese Army was seen removing tents and vehicles and were moving back by almost 1-1.5 kmm from certain areas of the Galwan Valley, in the first sign of disengagement of troops from the area.
The Galwan Valley was the site of a violent hand-to-hand clash between the two militaries on June 15 that left 20 Indian soldiers dead.
According to the sources in New Delhi, the disengagement of the Chinese troops has started as per an agreement between the Corps Commanders of the two sides. On June 30, the Indian and Chinese armies held the third round of Lt General-level talks in the Chushul sector on the Indian side during which both sides agreed on an expeditious, phased and step wise de-escalation as a priority to end the standoff.
The Indian and Chinese armies are locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last seven weeks.