India, China hold first border security meet at Kibithu

Itanagar: A Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China was held at Kibithu in Anjaw district on Thursday to strengthen military and border security ties.
Chinese troops joined the Indian Army for joint celebrations of Diwali. Joint celebrations of important events by troops of both the countries form a part of Border Defence and Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) signed a year ago at Beijing, a source in the Army said.
The Indian delegation, led by Brigadier Virendra Vat and the Chinese team, led by senior Colonel Hu Xiao Bai, exchanged views on issues of mutual interest. A cultural programme was organized comprising folk dances by various tribes of Arunachal Pradesh and a friendly volleyball match.
It was a friendly meeting and both sides talked about the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility along the LAC. The meeting formalized Kibithu (Wacha) as an additional point for BPM and other flag meetings in Arunachal Pradesh.
Similar meetings are conducted at Nathu La in Sikkim and Bum La in Tawang, the source added. The BPM provides an opportunity for regular consultations and interactions between the two armies and Lipulekh Pass in (Uttarakhand)-Qiang is also under consideration.
BPM points along the LAC facilitate greater engagement between the Indian Army and PLA which helps develop mutual understanding and cooperation between the border troops.
These meetings are also helpful in resolving local issues and help maintain peace and tranquility along the LAC. The Sixth India-China annual defence dialogue, co-chaired by defence secretary R K Mathur and PLA deputy chief Lt-Gen Wang Guanzhong was held in New Delhi on February 25 last. A decision was taken to “strengthen maritime security cooperation between the navies”, cooperate in areas like peace-keeping, counter-terrorism and disaster relief.
With political settlement of the border dispute remaining elusive despite 18 rounds of talks between special representatives, India and China, are now slowly but steadily stepping up military engagement at “multiple levels” to ‘manage’ confrontations along the 3,488-LAC.
In fact, amid a verbal duel between both the Asian giants on the proposed construction of a road along the McMahon line in Arunachal Pradesh, delegations of the two countries concluded a two-day meet titled Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), in New Delhi on October 25 last year.
The talks were aimed at finding ways to avoid stand-offs like the one in Chumar, Ladakh in September. The face-off had lasted for more than 15 days after the Chinese army patrol came into India when Chinese President Xi Jinping was visiting India.
The Chinese incursion had overshadowed the talks between Jinping and Modi when the latter had raised “serious concerns” over the repeated incidents along the border and sought an early settlement of the boundary imbroglio.