New Delhi: China has said that the ongoing border dispute with India is “complicated” and will take time to resolve. However, it expressed willingness to keep talking with India to mark the border and ensure peace in the border areas. This came after Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun in Qingdao on June 26 during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting.
During the talks, Singh stressed the need for both countries to address the complex issues through a clear and structured approach. He also urged China to take steps to reduce tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and revive old agreements to help in clearly marking the border, India Today reported.
China open to dialogue
When asked about Singh’s remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that both countries had already set up the Special Representatives (SRs) mechanism and had agreed on guiding principles to resolve the boundary issue. She acknowledged the dispute is difficult and will take time to solve but pointed out that both sides already have different levels of communication in place.
“China is willing to continue discussions with India on border delimitation and management,” Mao said, adding that both countries should work together to keep the border peaceful and improve cross-border cooperation.
Focus on trust building
The most recent SR-level meeting took place in December last year, between India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. That meeting, the first since the 2020 Ladakh clashes, saw both sides agree to carry out the disengagement agreement signed in October 2024. This agreement allowed patrolling and grazing in some disputed areas.
In Qingdao, Singh also highlighted the need to build “good neighbourly relations” and called for real action on the ground to rebuild trust, which had been shaken by the 2020 standoff. He also updated Dong about the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror groups in Pakistan.
When asked if there was a timeline to resolve the dispute, Mao said, “We hope India will continue to work with China to keep communication open and maintain peace along the border.” The Singh-Dong meeting is seen as part of continued efforts to bring back stability in the India-China relationship, especially along the LAC in eastern Ladakh after the 2020 tensions.
