Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun, in Qingdao on 26 June on the sidelines of a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. The focus of the meeting was on maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
This was the highest-level meeting since the 23rd round of talks between the special representatives, during which National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in December last year. The December meeting marked the first such engagement in four years following the border standoff along the LAC.
Such interactions are a positive step between the two neighbours, who continue to share a strained relationship. China has acknowledged that the boundary dispute with India is complex and will take time to resolve. However, it has also expressed its willingness to hold discussions on border delimitation and to maintain peace in the meantime.
China has stated its readiness to maintain communication with India on issues including delimitation negotiations and border management, jointly ensuring peace and tranquillity in the border areas, and promoting cross-border exchanges and cooperation. India must reciprocate these efforts to establish lasting peace between the two countries.
Peace between India and China is vital not only for regional stability but also for the global economy and international peace.