China Calls India Border Dispute ‘Complex’ but Open to Talks on Delimitation and Peace

Last Updated Jul - 01 - 2025, 10:51 AM | Source : Fela News

China says its border dispute with India will take time to resolve but is ready to hold delimitation talks. The statement follows Rajnath Singh's call for a roa

China Calls India Border Dispute ‘Complex’

On Monday, June 30, 2025, China acknowledged that its long-standing boundary dispute with India is complex and would require time to resolve. However, it also expressed willingness to engage in discussions on border delimitation and to maintain peace along the disputed frontier.

The remarks came days after Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun, in Qingdao on June 26. During their meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave, Mr. Singh proposed a structured roadmap aimed at de-escalating tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and revitalizing existing mechanisms to resolve the border dispute.

When asked about Mr. Singh's proposal, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that both countries had already set up a Special Representatives (SRs) mechanism and agreed on political parameters and guiding principles for settling the boundary issue.

She added that diplomatic and military communication channels existed at multiple levels. “China is open to continued dialogue with India on issues such as border delimitation and management, and we are committed to maintaining peace and stability in the border areas while promoting cross-border cooperation,” she said.

Addressing the delay in reaching a resolution despite 23 rounds of SR-level talks, Mao reiterated that the boundary issue is inherently complex and would take time to settle. Still, she emphasized the value of ongoing dialogue. “The important thing is that mechanisms for comprehensive communication are in place. We hope India will continue to work with us to ensure peace along the border,” she said.

The most recent round of SR talks, the 23rd, took place in December last year between India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. It was the first such meeting since tensions erupted in the western sector of the border in 2020. During that meeting, both sides acknowledged progress, including the implementation of the October 2024 disengagement agreement, which allowed resumed patrolling and grazing in key areas.

In his meeting with Mr. Dong, Mr. Singh stressed the importance of fostering a “good-neighbourly” environment to maximize mutual benefits and called for concrete actions to reduce the “trust deficit” created by the 2020 eastern Ladakh standoff. He also brought up the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, which targeted civilians, and briefed his counterpart on Operation Sindoor—India’s ongoing campaign against terror networks based in Pakistan.

The Singh-Dong dialogue is part of wider efforts by both India and China to stabilize relations and move forward after their agreement in October to end the military standoff along the eastern Ladakh stretch of the LAC.