Statements from China gives space for diplomacy and de-escalation: Former Indian Ambassadors

New Delhi [India], May 27 : With Chinese Ambassador to India stating that the two countries should never let differences overshadow relations and resolve them through communication, former Indian envoys have said that the statements from China give space for diplomacy and de-escalation of tensions in the Eastern Ladakh where there is a stand-off between troops of two countries.
Gautam Bambawale, a former Indian Ambassador to China, said India should be happy with measured statements from China.
He also said more fundamental issues, which caused the tensions, should also be addressed later.
"I believe that India should be happy with the measured statements from China because it provides space for diplomacy to de-escalate the current border situation and thereafter address the more fundamental issues which caused these tensions," Gautam Bambawale told ANI.
Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong on Wednesday said the two countries should resolve their differences through communication and not allow them to overshadow bilateral relations.
His remarks came amid a stand-off between the two countries in Eastern Ladakh.
"We should never let differences overshadow our relations. We should resolve differences through communication," Sun said.
Vishnu Prakash, a former Indian Ambassador to Canada and South Korea, said China is under pressure at present and "it is the pressure that made them open a front with India".
"India is not aggressive but a peace-loving country. We have always believed in talks. On the other hand, China's behaviour is different. It has an aggressive policy and the way in which it wants to contain India, we all know. However, we still want to solve this issue through talks," he said.
Vishnu Prakash said India is not developing offensive but defensive capability.
Asked about the commander's conference presided over by Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, he said there is an exchange of views in these meetings on the situation and course of action to be taken.
"These recommendations if required will be submitted to the senior leadership."
He refused to comment on the US President Donald Trump's offer to mediate in the stand-off between India and China.
The former ambassador said the border with China is not demarcated or delineated and there is a difference of opinion which is being resolved through talks.
"We resolve matters by discussing and we have several dialogue mechanisms which till date have been successful," he said.
Answering a query on Chinese President Xi Jinping ordering the military to scale up battle preparedness visualising the worst-case scenarios, he said the Chinese President is under pressure and he wants to show that he is a strong leader.
Vishnu Prakash said the issue concerning the border is very sensitive and needs to tackled with sensitivity.
He said India was ramping up its border infrastructure and removing shortcomings.
"It is our right to develop infrastructure on our land. We are doing this for our security. Even China does it. China has made rail link from Beijing to Tibet. We did not object to it," he said.
He said India's foreign policy is of peace and brotherhood and it wants to maintain cordial relations but "we will not compromise with our security".
Apart from the border tensions in Eastern Ladakh, there was also a face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in north Sikkim earlier this month.
Answering a question about Nepal which has suddenly raked up a boundary issue with India, Vishnu Prakash said the two friendly countries should resolve their any differences through talks.
"We have a good relationship with Nepal. This sudden talk on the amendment of the constitution is not correct and will not be good for relations. So we need to talk about it as we are friendly countries and solve our differences if any," he said.