The 25th meeting of the Special Representatives on the China-India boundary issue was held in Beijing on Tuesday. Both sides agreed to continue addressing the border issue through dialogue and consultation, maintain peace along the border, and promote improvement in bilateral relations.
Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi had communications with Indian National Security Advisor Doval on the China-India boundary issue and bilateral relations.
Wang Yi stated that China is willing to work with India to approach bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, strengthen communication, enhance understanding, eliminate differences, overcome obstacles, and be good neighbors and mutually beneficial partners.
Wang Yi said that both sides are orderly implementing the consensus reached at the Special Representatives meeting. "The two countries' institutional exchanges and cooperation are gradually resuming, with joint efforts to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas." Both sides should learn from historical experience, place the boundary issue in its proper position within bilateral relations, insist on moving forward, and gradually build a positive narrative for China-India boundary affairs. Dialogue, peace, consultation, and cooperation should become the mainstream, injecting positive elements into the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.
According to Chinese sources, Doval said, "India is willing to further strengthen strategic communication with China," expand mutually beneficial cooperation, deepen multilateral collaboration, "effectively manage the border areas, explore solutions to the boundary issue," and promote the rapid improvement and development of India-China relations.
This meeting comes just before the BRICS summit to be held in India, where it is reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to lead a delegation to visit India. Xi is very likely to lead a 400-member delegation to attend the BRICS summit to be held in New Delhi from September 12 to 13. If it happens, this will be his first visit to India in seven years.