China and India have agreed to resolve a border dispute that was a worrying source of tension between them. The past few weeks have seen tit-for-tat attacks between the world's two most populous nations. The skirmishes between the two nuclear powers took place high up in the Himalayas. There have been various flashpoints along the long border that divides the two countries. Chinese and Indian officials met on Saturday in Ladakh, an area adjacent to the border. They agreed to "peacefully resolve" their dispute in a "cordial" meeting. India's Foreign Ministry said: "Both sides agreed to peacefully resolve the situation in the border areas in accordance with various bilateral agreements."
The area under contention is called the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This was a border established in 1993. It is one of the longest land borders in the world. Minor conflicts have taken place along it since the bloody Sino-Indian War (also known as the Indo-China War) in 1962. The glacial terrain along the LAC means the physical location of the border is shifting. This has made it difficult to pinpoint what areas of the craggy landscape belong to which country. China said: "This year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and both sides agreed that an early resolution would contribute to the further development of that relationship".
