The Chinese military on Thursday addressing the ongoing boundary dispute with India, termed it a "legacy issue" and cautioned against connecting the border matter with the overall bilateral relations.
Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defence, emphasised that the boundary dispute does not represent the complete picture of the two countries' relations and deeming it unwise to intertwine the two issues.
The remarks came in response to India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's reported statement accusing China of violating the bilateral consensus in 2020 by massing military forces along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), resulting in the Galwan Valley conflict.
Wu reiterated China's claim that the Galwan Valley lies on the Chinese side of the LAC's western sector and attributed the incident to India's violation of consensus and unilateral provocations, placing the responsibility entirely on the Indian side.
The India-China relations have been strained since May 2020 when the People's Liberation Army (PLA) amassed troops in eastern Ladakh, leading to a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020.
Despite India's insistence on a restoration of normalcy tied to resolving border issues, China continues to advocate delinking the border dispute from overall bilateral relations.
Wu highlighted that over the past three years, China and India have maintained communication and coordination through military and diplomatic channels.
The two militaries engaged in 20 rounds of Corps Commanders level meetings, resulting in agreements to disengage from four points, including the Galwan Valley, Pangong Lake, Hot Springs, and Jianan Daban (Gogra), contributing to de-escalating tensions along the border.
"The border dispute with India is a legacy issue, but that does not represent the whole picture of bilateral relations," Wu asserted.
He criticised India's approach of linking the border issue with overall relations, deeming it unwise and inappropriate and emphasising that such a linkage goes against the shared interests of both countries.
Wu expressed hope for collaboration between India and China to enhance strategic mutual trust, appropriately handle differences, and safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
When asked about the next Corps Commander Level Meeting, Wu indicated that the ministry would release information in due course.
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