India, China to hold mly talks on border tensions

NEW DEHLI: India has requested high-level military talks with China as a face-off between the two countries continues along the border in Ladakh region, an official confirmed on Wednesday.

On June 6, lieutenant generals from both sides will meet at the Indian border point meeting hut in Ladakh. “India will be led by Lt-Gen Harinder Singh, corps commander of the Leh-based XIV Corps,” an Indian Army spokesman told Anadolu Agency. On Tuesday, major general-level officers from India and China held a discussion to resolve border tensions. The border skirmishes which started on May 5 at the Galwan valley in Ladakh and then at Nakula pass in northeastern Sikkim region three days later have led to the stand-off along the Line of Actual Control.

“India is in talks with China. We have a mechanism to solve the problem and we are working as per that mechanism. Nothing better if it can be resolved through talks,” tweeted Rajnath Singh, India’s Defence Minister. There was no immediate response on the talks from Beijing.

However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Monday there were “unimpeded channels for border-related communication in diplomatic and military fields” between Beijing and New Delhi.