China's disregard for agreements led to border tensions: Jaishankar
India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that border tensions with China have emerged due to the latter's disregard for written agreements. The Union Minister made the comments at a press conference on the sidelines of the Quad foreign ministers' meeting in Melbourne, Australia. He described China's attitude as a "legitimate concern for the entire international community."
- Relations between India and China have been tense since bloody clashes took place in the Galwan Valley region in 2020.
- Soon after, both sides deployed tens of thousands of troops and heavy weaponry along the border.
- Even though, disengagement process has been completed in several sections, some areas still remain tense. Talks between the Indian and Chinese military are ongoing.
"The (current) situation has arisen due to the disregard by China in 2020 written agreements with us not to mass forces at the border," Jaishankar said. "So, when a large country disregards written commitments, I think it's an issue of legitimate concern for the entire international community," the minister added. He was responding to a question about the military standoff along the Ladakh border.
India and China have so far held 14 rounds of Corps Commander-level talks to defuse the border tensions. But triggering incidents continue to be reported. On January 28, Chinese soldiers had entered the Indian territory and stopped local people from grazing their herd in the area, officials said. "They did not take anyone, but shooed the nomads and herds away," Urgain Chodon told TIE.
Meanwhile, the United States White House on Friday released its Indo-Pacific Strategy. It said India faces "very significant challenges" due to "China's behavior in the Line of Actual Control." Jaishankar is currently in Australia for the fourth Quad foreign ministers' meeting. He said that China's constant criticism of the grouping does not make it "less credible." The platform also comprises the US and Japan.
