EAM S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to come face to face thrice on Thursday

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will come face to face three times on September 10 (Thursday) in Russian capital city of Moscow, amid the tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh between the two nations.

Both the ministers will be face to face first at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers meet that starts at 12.30 pm (IST). It will be followed by the lunch meet of the India, Russia and China foreign ministers. 

Late in the evening, a bilateral meet between the Indian and Chinese foreign ministers will take place which will be the first in-person meet since the tensions escalated along the LAC in June.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, "Foreign Minister Wang will also hold bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of relevant member states and attend the China-Russia-India foreign ministers' luncheon."

Both FMs had spoken to each other after the Galwan incident of June in which India lost 20 of its soldiers. During that conversation, the Indian side had told the Chinese side that "Chinese side took pre-meditated and planned action that was directly responsible for the resulting violence and casualties", an MEA readout said.

Meanwhile, a day after pictures of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) armed with rods, spears and machetes surfaced, India on Wednesday raised the issue with China during the commander level talks. This comes two days after Chinese troops tried to lock down Indian posts along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Pangong Lake in Ladakh.

The pictures are first direct evidence of the use of such weapons by the Chinese army against Indian troops along the LAC. The September 7 "provocative" action by the Chinese forces saw them carrying "Guandao", a traditional Chinese Sword which is basically a blade mounted on a wooden or metal pole.

The talks lasted for four hours from 11 am to 3 pm but were without any outcome. During the talks "aggressive behaviour" by the Chinese forces was also raised, said a government source.