Table of Contents
- Recently, the USA President has offered to mediate between India and China over the Indo-China border standoff.
- The offer has come in the backdrop of the ongoing standoff between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
BACKGROUND
- Currently, India and China faces standoff at least four points along the LAC, including Pangong Tso lake, Demchok and Galwan Valley in Ladakh and Naku La in Sikkim.
- The tensions between two countries escalated along the LAC after China ordered the military to scale up battle preparedness and asked it to resolutely defend the country’s sovereignty.
- Subsequently, India has also increased its presence on the boundary with China in North Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, along with Ladakh.
- So far, at least six rounds of talks have been held between Indian and Chinese military commanders in Ladakh on the ground but have failed to achieve a breakthrough.
OFFER BY USA
- The USA President has informed both India and China that the United States is willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their raging border dispute.
- It is the first time that the USA made such an offer to India and China
- Referred to the LAC situation as a “raging border dispute”.
- In the past, the USA had offered to mediate between India and Pakistan over Kashmir but it was rejected by India.
- India had cleared its position stating that the issue can only be discussed bilaterally.
- The offer comes amid ongoing issues between the USA and China over the origin of Covid-19 and trade tensions between the two countries.
- Recently, the USA’s National Security Adviser also said that the U.S. could impose sanctions on both Beijing and Hong Kong, if China were to go ahead and impose a national security law on Hong Kong.
China’s Stand
- Both countries would resolve the standoff bilaterally.
- The situation at the border with India is “overall stable and controllable”.
- India and China have good border related mechanisms and communication channels and any issue can be resolved through dialogue and consultation.
India’s Stand
- India has not given any official response to the USA’s offer for mediation between India and China.
- But, in the past India has rejected all offers for third party mediation.
- India has been carrying out high level meetings to open diplomatic channels to resolve the issue peacefully.
WAY AHEAD
- The differing accounts in national and international media of escalation and continuing stalemate has created uncertainty in the scenario.
- In the Wuhan and Mahabalipuram summits, both China and India had reaffirmed that they will make efforts to ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas.
- Both countries have resolved border issues peacefully in the past four decades which gives the hope that the tensions will subside soon.
- The peaceful resolution between India and China is essential for their own growth and development as well as for maintenance of global peace.
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