Context
Recently, the 31st assembly of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs was held in Beijing.
About
- It is an institutional framework set up to facilitate communication, coordination, and management of border-associated issues between India and China.
- It was set up through an India-China agreement in 2012. It emerged as a reaction to the need for stepped forward institutionalised information exchange concerning border subjects.
- The concept for any such mechanism was first recommended by Wen Jiabao, the then Premier of China, in 2010.
Composition and Function
- The WMCC consists of representatives from both countries’ Foreign and Defence Ministries.
- Its number one objectives are to deal with border issues, decorate conversation, and promote cooperation.
- Specifically, the WMCC specializes in the India-China border regions, in which tensions and disputes have traditionally existed.
WMCC on India-China Border Affairs
- It was activated after the face-off at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) commenced in 2020.
- The discussion turned into ‘in-depth, positive and ahead-looking’, and both sides agreed to hold the momentum through established diplomatic and military channels.
- The talks come amid warning signs that the two countries are making efforts to clear up the stand-off alongside the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
Importance of Peace for India and China
- Economic cooperation: India and China are two of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies and stepping forward relations can help to grow, change and invest.
- Regional balance: India and China are two essential powers in Asia, and their relations have a significant effect on regional stability.
- Border security: A non violent courting between the 2 countries is important to keep border security and avoid any conflicts or misunderstandings alongside the border.
- Geopolitics: India and China are both predominant gamers within the global geopolitical landscape whose peaceful co-existence is essential to create a more strong and predictable international environment.
Challenges in Peace Process
- Military Build-up: The military build-up by both nations along the border has improved tensions and made the peace method more difficult.
- Historical Issues: Historical issues, inclusive of the 1962 Sino-Indian War, retain to affect relations between the two nations.
- Border Disputes: Despite numerous rounds of talks, the 2 sides have not been able to reach a long-lasting technique to the border dispute especially along the LAC.
Way Ahead
- India-China peace technique requires sustained efforts from both sides to deal with these challenges and build mutual trust and knowledge.
- There is a need to preserve discussions through army and diplomatic channels and to actively put in force the critical consensus reached by the leaders of the 2 countries to further stabilise the border state of affairs.
- Overall, peace between India and China is critical for the financial, political, and strategic interests of both nations, in addition to regional and international balance.
Source: News on AIR
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