[Global Times reporter Wang Yi Guo Yuandan Gao Ying] After a lapse of three months, China and India held the 14th round of commander-level talks on the Chinese side of the Moldo meeting point on the 12th.
Before the meeting, the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on the 11th that the situation on the Sino-Indian border is generally stable, and it is hoped that the Indian side will work with the Chinese side in the same direction to push the border situation from emergency response to normalized management and control as soon as possible.
The "Hindu" reported on the 12th that China and India are considering an agreement on disengagement in the Hot Springs area as part of a comprehensive disengagement and de-escalation of tensions in the so-called "Ladakh" eastern region.
On the day of the talks, according to foreign media reports, India is considering relaxing the review of Chinese investment. Some public opinion believes that this is a positive signal, but experts warn that expectations should not be too high.
According to the "Hindu" report, an official of the Indian Ministry of Defense said that the talks began on the Chinese side of the Mordo meeting point at about 10 am on the 12th.
The official said the Indian side looked forward to a constructive dialogue to resolve the friction.
Another official said the top priority of the talks was "disengagement at Patrol Point 15 in the Hot Springs area" while "moving forward with full disengagement and de-escalation efforts".
Both officials said an agreement on disengagement in the Hot Springs area was "in reach."
Before the press release on the evening of the 12th, the Chinese side had not released any relevant news about the outcome of the talks.
The Press Trust of India recalled on the 12th that the 13th round of military commander-level talks between the two sides was held on October 10, 2021, but eventually reached a deadlock.
After the 13th round of commander-level talks between China and India, Long Shaohua, a spokesman for the Western Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army, once pointed out that the Indian side insisted on unreasonable and unrealistic demands, adding difficulties to the negotiations.
Although some Indian officials are relatively optimistic about the outcome of the talks this time, the Indian media "The Print" said on the 12th that senior government sources in the country said that regardless of whether the talks made progress that day, Sino-Indian tensions will continue.
Because even though the hot springs area may eventually disengage, it may take longer to resolve similar "legacy issues" in other areas.
Qian Feng, director of the Research Department of the National Institute of Strategic Studies of Tsinghua University, analyzed in an interview with a reporter from the Global Times that the confrontation between the Chinese and Indian armies in the border areas has not been completely resolved. contacts, so there is uncertainty about the talks.
The current efforts of both sides are how to strengthen front-line control and eliminate the possibility of differences turning into conflicts.
This is also the general expectation of the international community.
However, Qian Feng admitted that this process cannot be accomplished overnight. It requires both parties to exercise restraint and patience, and continue to meet each other halfway through diplomatic and military communication, from difficult to easy, and gradually solve the problem.
Liu Zongyi, secretary-general of the Center for China and South Asia Studies at the Shanghai Institutes of International Studies, also told the Global Times reporter that India's position needs to be adjusted, otherwise it will be difficult to make breakthroughs in this round of talks.
Before the meeting between the Chinese and Indian militaries, the United States was still fanning the flames of Sino-Indian tensions.
According to the "Indian Express" report on the 12th, before the current round of military commander-level talks between China and India, the US government said that it was closely monitoring the situation and claimed that China's behavior was an attempt to intimidate its neighbors.
White House Press Secretary Psaki said on the 11th, "We continue to support dialogue and the peaceful resolution of border disputes. We have been very clear about Beijing's behavior in the region and around the world, and believe that this may be destabilizing. Concerned about intimidating its neighbors, we will continue to stand by our partners."
"Voice of America" also reported on the 12th that tensions between China and India have risen again, and said the cause was China's construction of a new bridge on the edge of Pangong Lake.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has previously stated that China's infrastructure construction on its own territory is entirely within the scope of sovereignty. It aims to safeguard national territorial sovereignty and security, and is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the Sino-Indian border area.
It is worth noting that, according to a report by Reuters on the 11th, after the relationship between China and India deteriorated sharply due to border friction in 2020, the Indian government tried to restrict Chinese investment in its sensitive companies and industries. Since then, a series of Chinese mobile applications have been blocked, and additional scrutiny has been carried out on the import of Chinese goods.
When China and India held this commander-level talks, it was reported that India was considering relaxing restrictions on some Chinese investments.
According to Bloomberg News on the 11th, India is considering relaxing the review of certain foreign direct investment, after the rules mainly aimed at China caused the bottleneck of capital inflow.
Currently, investors from countries with land borders with India must obtain government approval if they want to invest in Indian companies, which means they cannot finance Indian companies through their own channels.
According to reports, the Indian government is reviewing all investment plans from companies or investors from countries with land borders with India, and is considering exemptions for investment plans with effective ownership below 10%.
The proposal could pass as early as next month.
Liu Zongyi said that New Delhi seems to be showing favor to my country in terms of economy and trade, but it can be said that this is mainly out of its own needs.
Yang Yishuang, an associate professor at the Indian Ocean Regional Research Center of Yunnan University of Finance and Economics, also agrees that one cannot expect too much from a similar relaxation of restrictions. Moreover, such relaxation policies are also extremely utilitarian and may turn sharply down at any time due to changes in Sino-Indian relations.