Resolving border dispute will remove obstacles in ties: China

China today 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.