Beijing: China on Tuesday said an early settlement of the border dispute with India will effectively remove the "obstacles" in the way of improving bilateral ties as it expressed readiness to achieve more progress in finding a solution to the "very complicated" issue.
During the two-day talks held in Delhi between Special Representatives of India and China on the boundary dispute, both sides reviewed the "past achievements and spoke high of the progress that has been achieved", Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi met in Delhi yesterday and today and held the 18th round of boundary talks between the two nations.
"I want to emphasise that the early settlement of the boundary question is in the fundamental interest of the two countries. It is also an effective way to remove obstacles getting in the way of bilateral ties," Hua said replying to a question about whether any progress was made in the just concluded boundary talks between the two sides.
"But the boundary question is a problem left over from history. It is very complicated. Luckily with the concerted efforts of the two countries we have made positive achievements. That is why we emphasise that we follow the right path based on past achievements to press ahead with the framework negotiations," Hua said.
"We are willing to work with the Indian side to make more progress in this regard," she said.
Hua said during their talks, both Doval and Yang have "agreed to bear in mind the national interests and benefits of the two peoples follow that right path and press ahead with the framework negotiations."
Doval and Yang also stated that "pending the final settlement of the boundary question, we will also make efforts to safeguard the peace and tranquillity of the border area."
Hua said she has not seen any report about new ideas put forward by both sides to resolve the dispute.
She said that China and India agreed that as important neighbours to each other and the two biggest developing counties and emerging markets, their relationship has a bearing on benefits of two peoples and also influences the stability of the peace in the region and the world.
In its comments on the latest round of border talks, China has been referring to the framework negotiations, which is a reference to the present state of the three way process to reach a solution to resolve the dispute over the 4000 km-long boundary.
While China says that the boundary dispute is confined 2000km, mainly Arunachal Pradesh in eastern sector which it claims as part of southern Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covered the western sector including the Aksai Chin occupied by China during the 1962 war.
When the Special Representatives were appointed in 2003, the two sides set off a three stage process.
The two countries first reached an agreement on the guiding principles and setting political parameters for the settlement in 2005.
The two neighbours are now on the second stage which is to agree for a framework of settlement to be followed by the final step of drawing the boundary line based on the framework agreement.
In her lengthy reply on India-China border talks, Hua also said the two countries are committed to promote practical cooperation in various fields and strengthening cooperation on international issues and forging closer partnership so as to make greater contribution to the world developments.
About Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit here, she said last year Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a very successful visit to India and reached consensus with the future development of the bilateral relations.
"For the moment the two countries are implementing the consensus reached by the two leaders and two countries agreed to maintain the momentum of high level exchange. We have also touched upon such issue in these talks," she said adding that "we hope to maintain this momentum and solidify bilateral relations and bring it to a new high."
