Key facts
- India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.
- The two nations agreed to continue dialogue to find a settlement for their border dispute.
- Wang Yi emphasized the global and strategic importance of the China-India relationship.
- Doval also met Chinese Vice President Han Zhang to discuss border peace and bilateral ties.
- The talks precede Chinese President Xi Jinping's expected visit to India for the BRICS summit.
India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing for the 25th round of Special Representatives talks on the India-China Boundary Question. The discussions aimed to expand bilateral cooperation, maintain peace and stability along the border, and advance work on boundary delimitation. Doval also met with Chinese Vice President Han Zhang, with both officials discussing ways to strengthen peace and tranquillity in the border areas and improve bilateral relations across economic, political, and multilateral forums. These engagements are considered significant as they occur ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's anticipated visit to New Delhi for the BRICS summit in September. During the talks, Doval emphasized that the normalization of India-China relations has been a direct result of maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas. He noted progress in people-to-people ties, including the resumption of traditional border trade. Wang Yi described the China-India relationship as having global and strategic significance, stressing the importance of enhanced communication, mutual trust, and overcoming obstacles to foster good neighborliness and mutual success. The Special Representatives talks, established in 2003, serve as a key channel for negotiations on the boundary dispute and a platform for communication on mutual interests. While the mechanism has not resolved the dispute, it is viewed as a useful tool for managing tensions. The previous round of talks in August last year saw candid exchanges and common understandings reached by both sides.