Indian, Chinese troops hold meets to celebrate Chinese national day

Indian and Chinese armies on Tuesday held ceremonial Border Personnel Meetings (BPM) at Nathu La, Bum La, Kibithu and eastern Ladakh to celebrate the Chinese national day, officials said. In the meetings, both sides exchanged pleasantries and held discussions on maintaining peace and tranquility along the nearly 3,500-km-long border the two countries share.

During the interaction, the participants reaffirmed their resolve to strengthen friendship and maintain peace and tranquility along the border, said a senior Indian Army official. The designated BPM points of Kibithu and Bum La are in Arunachal Pradesh, Nathu-La in Sikkim sector.

Interaction and coordination between Indian and Chinese armies increased after the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April last year. In their informal summit, Modi and Xi had decided to issue "strategic guidance" to their militaries to strengthen communication and build trust and understanding between the border guarding forces of the two countries.

The summit had taken place months after Indian and Chinese troops were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam. The BPMs were held on the Chinese side of the border in all the designated sectors for such exchanges.

Officials said the events commenced with hoisting of national flags and rendition of the national anthems of both the countries followed by ceremonial welcome address by respective delegation leaders. The event involved extension of greetings, exchange of mementos and display of cultural programmes, they said.

"The proceedings reflected a mutual desire to maintain an environment of peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control which is a prerequisite for good relations between both the nations," said a senior official. He said the delegations of both the countries interacted with each other in an environment of amity and friendship.

The delegations parted amid feeling of friendship and commitment towards enhancing the existing cordial relations along the LAC, said the official. The two sides hold designated points.

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