In Kazan, Russia, the meeting is scheduled to occur alongside the BRICS Summit.
China acknowledged reaching a resolution without referencing the agreement concerning patrolling along the Line of Actual Control. The country confirmed its commitment to collaborating with India to implement the plan effectively. Following this development, India disclosed on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to convene a bilateral meeting on Wednesday during the BRICS Summit in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, Russia.
The upcoming meeting scheduled for Wednesday marks the initial formal bilateral discussion between the two leaders in half a decade. Prior to this, their last interaction was an informal summit held in Mahabalipuram during October 2019, which occurred shortly before the Chinese activities in eastern Ladakh led to heightened tensions along the Line of Actual Control. While they did engage in brief pull-aside conversations in Bali (2022) and Johannesburg (2023), the Wednesday meeting is anticipated to be the first comprehensive and well-organized bilateral dialogue.
In Kazan, while addressing the press, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri disclosed, “I affirm that Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting tomorrow during the BRICS Summit.
Misri explained that the patrolling arrangement would involve reinstating patrolling and grazing activities to their 2020 status in the disputed areas. He clarified that the recent discussions did not revisit previously reached disengagement agreements. The focus of the latest agreement, finalized early yesterday, was on addressing unresolved issues from the past few years.
China has announced earlier today that they have come to a resolution on the pertinent issues, a development that China perceives in a favorable light. Notably, the statement did not touch upon the specifics of the patrolling agreement.
During a press conference in Beijing, Lin Jian, the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, mentioned that China and India have maintained frequent communication through diplomatic and military channels regarding border issues between the two countries. Jian highlighted that both nations have come to a resolution on the pertinent issues. While mentioning that China is committed to collaborating with India to execute the solution, he refrained from disclosing further specifics.
According to the state-operated Global Times, the spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry has reportedly “acknowledged advancements.
Lin informed the media briefing that both parties have now come to an agreement on the pertinent issues, a development that China regards with optimism. Looking ahead, China is ready to collaborate closely with India to ensure the successful execution of the solution framework.