India and China hold 33rd meeting on border affairs in Beijing

The 33rd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) took place in Beijing on Tuesday. The Indian delegation was led by Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary for East Asia, while the Chinese delegation was headed by Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary & Oceanic Affairs Department at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting was conducted in a positive and constructive atmosphere, with both sides focusing on reviewing the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas. Both India and China acknowledged the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility along the border as a vital foundation for the broader development of bilateral relations.

Discussions during the meeting also centered around implementing the decisions made at the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives (SR) on the India-China boundary issue, which was held in Beijing in December 2024. The two sides explored several measures and proposals aimed at improving border management and enhancing diplomatic and military coordination.

The delegations also discussed the resumption of cross-border cooperation, particularly regarding trans-border rivers and the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, underlining the importance of strengthening people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

As the next steps, both sides agreed to prepare comprehensively for the upcoming meeting of the Special Representatives, which is scheduled to take place in India later this year. This ongoing dialogue highlights both countries’ commitment to resolving border issues and maintaining stability in the region.