India-China to discuss border issue at delegation level today

Indian and Chinese officials will continue their third round of talks here today, to discuss ways to secure peace on the border.

According to reports, the two-day meeting of working mechanism for consultation and coordination on India-China border affairs will focus on ensuring better coordination and communication between the two countries.

Chinese forces had crossed into Indian territories in Jammu and Kashmir on July 16 and 17, and carried placards which asked Indian forces to leave the 'occupied territories'.

The incursion lasted for those two days and the Chinese went back to their former positions after an eye to eye confrontation with Indian forces.

In the recent months there have been a series of incidents on the border which have raised tensions between the two sides and a recent visit by the Indian Defence Minister AK Antony has also failed to iron out the differences.

Earlier in the Daulat Beg Oldi in April, Chinese platoons had set up a camp about 19 km into Indian territory and had refused to budge for about three weeks, but finally agreed to withdraw troops after negotiations.

The two countries have increased their military presence on each side of the border in recent years as their fast-growing economies permit more spending on defence of remote regions.

They hold frequent meetings to diffuse tensions, but high-level talks to resolve the dispute have not produced results.