NSA Doval meets Chinese V-P; discusses ways to strengthen peace at border

Beijing, Aug 25 (IANS) National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Tuesday and discussed ways to strengthen peace and tranquillity in the border areas and bilateral cooperation across various sectors.

NSA Doval, India’s Special Representative (SR) on the India-China Boundary Question, arrived in Beijing on Monday on a two-day visit at the invitation of Wang Yi, Foreign Minister and Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Doval and Wang Yi, who is China’s Special Representative, will hold the 25th round of the Special Representatives’ Talks on the India-China Boundary Question on Tuesday. Ahead of the talks, the NSA called on the Chinese Vice President and discussed ways to strengthen ties.

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Beijing said, “On 25 August, NSA and Special Representative on the India-China Boundary Question, Shri Ajit Doval called on H.E. Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China.”

“Prior to the 25th Round of the SR Talks today, NSA and VP Han discussed ways to strengthen peace & tranquillity in the border areas and further improve bilateral relations across economic, political and multilateral fora, in accordance with the consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries,” it added.

Earlier on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that India and China will continue the “in-depth communication” on the border issue in accordance with the spirit of the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries.

“The Special Representatives’ Meeting on the China-India Boundary Question is the main channel for border negotiations between the two countries and an important platform for communication on issues of mutual concern. Last August, the two sides successfully held the 24th meeting of the Special Representatives on the China-India Boundary Question, exchanging frank and in-depth views on the China-India border issue and reaching several consensuses,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian while replying to a question on the meeting during a regular media briefing in Beijing on Monday.

“At this meeting, both sides will continue in-depth communication on the border issue in accordance with the spirit of the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border areas. The two sides will also exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues,” he added.

India has maintained that the state of border affairs will reflect on the state of larger bilateral ties with China.

“In matters relating to the border areas between India and China, we have always emphasised in discussions with the Chinese side that we consider these issues as most serious and that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in these areas is of the utmost importance,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, earlier this month.

Both sides had also engaged in “frank discussions” and reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control during the recently-held 36th WMCC meeting on India-China border affairs on August 6.

“The Indian side again underlined that maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations. It was agreed to continue to use existing mechanisms, diplomatic and military channels, including the WMCC, local commander-level meetings, and other agreed mechanisms to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation along the Line of Actual Control,” Jaiswal had stated.

–IANS

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