Timely communication between two sides controlled border stand-off: Chinese Foreign Ministry

Agreeing with the views expressed by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, China today said that the recent border stand-off in Ladakh with India has been controlled because of the timely communication between the two sides and added that the border is now peaceful.

"Both countries hold common the consensus, willingness and sincerity to make a joint effort to protect the peace and stability of the border area. The two sides also have the mechanisms of mutual consultation and negotiation on the Chinese-Indian border issue, and such in a series of border related work mechanism," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told here at a regular press briefing.

She also said that the border is now "peaceful".

"The relevant personnel from both sides have effectively controlled the situation through timely communication. Like Foreign Minister Swaraj said, the situation has been properly controlled for the time being. The border region is also peaceful," she added.

Earlier today, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at New York said that China would begin withdrawing its troops to its normal positions from September 26th.

She further said that India-China relations had gone through a "bad phase", but now, things were on the mend.

The Foreign Minister-level talks were held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The two armies were engaged in a standoff at Chumar in Ladakh, coinciding with the first visit to India of the Chinese President, Xi Jinping.

Tension in the area erupted two weeks back when some Chinese workers, who were constructing a road on their side, crossed into the Indian side and also claimed that they had orders to build a road up to Tible, 5 kms deep inside Indian territory.