National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Tuesday called on Chinese vice president Han Zheng in Beijing, ahead of the Special Representatives’ talks on the India-China boundary question with Chinese Foreign Minister and Special Representative Wang Yi.
Doval arrived in Beijing on Monday for a two-day visit for the talks, which assume significance as they are being held ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected visit to New Delhi for the BRICS summit on September 12-13. Doval’s visit comes ahead of a potentially significant diplomatic engagement between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping. Xi’s expected visit to New Delhi for the BRICS summit could provide an opportunity for the two leaders to meet on the sidelines and discuss measures to take forward bilateral relations.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday that Doval and Wang would hold an “in-depth discussion” on the boundary question and other issues of mutual interest. “The Special Representatives’ talks are the main channel for negotiations between China and India on the boundary question, and also an important platform for communication between the two sides on issues of mutual interest,” Lin said. He said the two sides would continue discussions in the spirit of the understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries and work towards keeping border areas “peaceful and tranquil”. In August last year, India and China held the 24th round of Special Representatives’ talks, during which the two sides had “candid and in-depth exchanges” on the boundary question and reached several common understandings, according to Beijing.
