India-China Ties Near Normalcy? NSA Ajit Doval, Wang Yi Hold Key Border Talks Ahead Of BRICS Summit

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The 25th round of Special Representatives' Talks on the India-China border is currently underway in Beijing, with National Security Advisor Ajit Dova and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi leading the discussions. The latest round comes after Doval and Wang met in June on the sidelines of the BRICS National Security Advisers' meeting in New Delhi.

Doval meets Chinese Vice President Han Zheng

Before the border talks, Doval held a bilateral meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing. The two sides discussed maintaining peace and stability along the border while exploring ways to further improve bilateral ties.

The Embassy of India in China said in a post on X, "On 25 August, NSA and Special Representative on the India-China Boundary Question, Ajit Doval called on Han Zheng, Vice President of the People's Republic of China."

According to the embassy, Doval and Han discussed measures to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas ahead of the Special Representatives' talks.

They also exchanged views on strengthening relations in economic, political and multilateral areas, in line with the understanding reached by the leadership of the two countries.

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Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said Han Zheng highlighted the recent improvement in India-China relations during his meeting with Doval.

Han pointed to meetings between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the past two years, saying the two leaders had reached several important understandings on the future direction of bilateral relations.

Sharing details of the meeting on X, Xu wrote, "Vice President Han Zheng met with India's Special Representative and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, prior to the 25th round of talks between the two countries' special representatives on the boundary question in Beijing. Han Zheng stated that over the past two years, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi have met twice--in Kazan and Tianjin--and reached a series of important consensuses on the development of China-India relations, guiding the bilateral relationship back onto a track of recovery and improvement."

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The Chinese side also stressed the need for both countries to approach their relationship from a long-term strategic perspective.

"As neighboring major developing nations and key emerging economies, China and India should view and handle their relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective; jointly implement the important consensuses reached by their leaders; enhance strategic mutual trust; tap into cooperation potential; strengthen multilateral coordination; properly manage differences; and promote the sustained and stable development of China-India relations," Xu added.

Doval arrives in Beijing for two-day visit

Doval arrived in Beijing on Monday afternoon for a two-day visit at the invitation of Wang Yi.

His visit comes amid efforts by New Delhi and Beijing to improve ties following a series of high-level engagements between Modi and Xi.

The two leaders have met on the sidelines of major international summits, including the SCO Summit in Tianjin last year. During those interactions, they welcomed the positive momentum and progress in bilateral relations since their previous meeting in Kazan in October 2024.

India-China ties show signs of thaw

Modi and Xi have also reiterated that India and China should view each other as development partners rather than rivals, while ensuring that differences do not escalate into disputes.

Following one of their meetings, the Ministry of External Affairs said,“A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion peoples on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multipolar world and a multi-polar Asia befitting the trends of the 21st century.”

(With inputs from news agency ANI)

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