India and China Agree to Reduce Tensions on Disputed Border

It is reported that negotiations between regional military commanders lasted about 11 hours China and India agreed to ease tensions a week after clashes on the disputed border in the Himalayas, in which 20 Indian soldiers died in a fierce hand-to-hand fight. The representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Zhao Lijian said that following the results of the talks between the regional military commanders, the parties “agreed to take necessary measures to cool down the situation”. The Press Trust of India news agency reported that the commander of the 14th Indian Army Corps, Lieutenant General Harinder Singh and the Tibetan Military District Commander, Major General Liu Lin, participated in the talks. The parties “made a joint commitment to promote peace and tranquility in the border areas,” Zhao Lijian added. No official comment has yet been received from Delhi, but a source in the Indian army said that following a meeting that lasted almost 11 hours, a “mutual consensus to disengage” was reached.