Astana : India and China on Thursday vowed to redouble efforts to resolve the remaining issues in eastern Ladakh at the earliest and “stabilise and rebuild” ties even as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during a meeting that the Line of Actual Control (LAC) must be respected.

In the talks held on the sidelines of the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Jaishankar underlined the need for fully abiding by relevant bilateral agreements and protocols reached between the two sides in the past for the management of the border.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Jaishankar and Wang had an in-depth exchange of views on finding an early resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in eastern Ladakh to “stabilise and rebuild bilateral relations.”

In the meeting, the external affairs minister also reaffirmed India’s persistent view that the relations between the two sides must be based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity.

“Met with CPC Politburo member and FM Wang Yi in Astana this morning. Discussed early resolution of remaining issues in border areas. Agreed to redouble efforts through diplomatic and military channels to that end,” Jaishankar said on ‘X’.

“Respecting the LAC and ensuring peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential. The three mutuals – mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest – will guide our bilateral ties,” he said.

India has been maintaining that its ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas.

“Both Ministers agreed to continue and step up meetings of the diplomatic and military officials of the two sides to take forward their discussions to resolve the remaining issues at the earliest,” the MEA said.

“To that end, they agreed that the Working Mechanism on Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) should hold an early meeting,” it said.

The MEA said Jaishankar reiterated that the India-China relationship is best served by observing the three mutuals — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests. It said the two ministers agreed that the prolongation of the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side.

“The external affairs minister highlighted the need to redouble efforts to achieve complete disengagement from the remaining areas in eastern Ladakh and restore border peace and tranquillity in order to remove obstacles towards the return of normalcy in bilateral relations,” the MEA said.

“He reaffirmed the importance of fully abiding by relevant bilateral agreements, protocols, and understandings reached between the two Governments in the past. The Line of Actual Control must be respected and peace and tranquillity in the border areas always enforced,” it said.

The Jaishankar-Wang talks came amid the dragging border row in eastern Ladakh that entered its fifth year in May.

The Indian and Chinese militaries have been locked in a standoff since May 2020 and a full resolution of the border row has not yet been achieved though the two sides have disengaged from a number of friction points.

“Lust for power…”: Bihar Minister Nitin Nabin on Champai Soren’s resignation as Jharkhand CM Patna With Hemant Soren, who is out on bail, all set to return as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Bihar minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitin Nabin Sinha took a fierce jibe at the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Chief and the “lust for power” of INDIA bloc leaders.

The JMM is an ally in the INDIA bloc. “You can see the lust for power the leaders of the INDIA bloc have. One of their leaders (Arvind Kejriwal), who is in jail, is keen to remain the Chief Minister. On the other hand, Hemant Soren , who is out on bail, wants to grab the chair”, Sinha told ANI in Patna.

The BJP leader also took aim at another INDIA bloc leader, the former Bihar deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. “In Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav is mad about why he was ousted from power. The leaders of the INDIA bloc cannot survive without power.” Sinha said.

Sinha further alleged that INDIA bloc leaders can do is indulge in corruption.

“All they do is be corrupt. Why did Hemant Soren go to jail? Did he do something great? He has snatched land from the poor and the tribals. it is unfortunate that he is again going to become the Chief Minister of Jharkhand,” the Bihar minister said.

Yesterday, Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren resigned from the post just five months after taking the oath, setting the ball rolling for Jharkhand Mukti Morcha executive president Hemant Soren to again take over the role.

“A few days ago, I was made the Chief Minister and I got the responsibility of the state. After Hemant Soren got back, our alliance took this decision and we chose Hemant Soren as our leader. Now, I have resigned from the post of Chief Minster,” Champai Soren told reporters.

On February 2 this year, Champai Soren took oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand in the Raj Bhavan.  Meanwhile Hemant Soren has staked a claim to form the governmen in Jharkhand. “The CM (Champai Soren) has told you everything…We will tell you everything in detail. We have followed all procedures,” said Hemant Soren.

Hemant Soren was released from the Birsa Munda Jail on June 28 after nearly five months following bail from Jharkhand High Court in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. He had resigned as Chief Minister before his arrest on January 31.