India and China to hold border talks today

The Indian side will be represented by the Fire and Fury Corps Commander Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta who took over from Lt Gen PGK Menon recently.

The focus of the Indian side would be the Hot Springs area where the Chinese side refused to budge in the talks held so far, sources told UNI.

The 14th round of dialogue held at Chushul-Moldo border meeting point failed to make any headway in the said area.

Sources in the defence establishment said that "recent statements by both sides to find a mutually acceptable solution have been encouraging and positive."

"The two sides had a frank and in-depth exchange of views for the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector. They agreed that both sides should follow the guidance provided by the State Leaders and work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest," the Defence Ministry said after the 14th round of meeting.

The statement, however, didn't detail which specific areas the two sides agreed to disengage upon in the 14th round of talks.

It's significant to mention that Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently said that territorial disputes shouldn't affect India China relations.

"China and India should not allow territorial disputes left over from history to affect the overall interests of bilateral cooperation," Wang Yi said addressing a press conference on Monday on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress of the Party.

The Chinese Foreign Minister added that the two sides should stick to the strategic consensus of "not posing threats but providing mutual development opportunities to each other and enhance mutual trust and avoid misunderstandings."

The Chinese state media Global Times had written after the last round of negotiations that "the India China talks were positive despite no breakthrough."

(With UNI inputs)