'Left Over From History': China Opposes India’s Bid to Link Bilateral Ties With Border Issue

India-China border tensions were described as “an issue left over from history and not the whole of China-India relations” by the Chinese defense ministry on Thursday, opposing New Delhi’s firmly held position amid the ongoing border issues with Beijing.

The Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in confrontation for nearly four years in friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement from some areas after extensive diplomatic and military talks. The ties between the two neighbours nosedived after the clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, which marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.

“It is unwise and inappropriate for the Indian side to insist on linking the border situation with bilateral relations,” spokesperson Wu Qian was quoted as saying by Reuters, during a monthly press briefing. This remark comes a few weeks after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the border dispute between the two countries will continue to impact India-China relations on different fronts like trade and economy. He made the remarks during a town hall meeting in Maharashtra’s Nagpur.

Minister Jaishankar reiterated New Delhi’s stance that unless there is no firm solution on the border, and the forces will remain face-to-face, there is no possibility of normal relations. “I have explained to my Chinese counterpart that unless you find a solution on the border, if the forces will remain face-to-face and there will be tension, then you should not expect that the rest of the relations will go on in a normal manner, it is impossible,” he said earlier this month.

In January, some media reports said India could ease its heightened scrutiny of Chinese investments if the two countries’ border remained peaceful. However, New Delhi has not officially commented on such reports. Jaishankar has stressed that India should deal with China based on “realism” and bilateral ties should be based on understanding rooted in mutual respect, sensitivity, and interest.