The 23rd Meeting of the Special Representatives of India and China, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, was held in Beijing today. The Special Representatives met in accordance with the decision taken during the recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan for them to meet at an early date. The Special Representatives met to oversee the management of peace and tranquillity in border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question.
Mr Doval and Mr Wang Yi reiterated the importance of maintaining a political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship while seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for the settlement of the boundary question, and resolved to inject more vitality into this process. This was the first meeting of the Special Representatives since frictions had emerged in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas in 2020. External Affairs Ministry said in a release that they positively affirmed the implementation of the latest disengagement agreement of October, resulting in patrolling and grazing in relevant areas.
Both Special Representatives underlined the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas to promote the overall development of the India-China bilateral relationship. They emphasised the need to ensure peaceful conditions on the ground so that issues on the border do not hold back the normal development of bilateral relations. Drawing on the learnings from the events of 2020, they discussed various measures to maintain peace and tranquillity on the border and advance effective border management. They decided to use, coordinate and guide the relevant diplomatic and military mechanisms towards this purpose.
Mr Doval and Mr Wang Yi exchanged views on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. They provided positive directions for cross-border cooperation and exchanges including resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, data sharing on trans-border rivers and border trade. They agreed on the salience of stable, predictable and amicable India-China relations for regional and global peace and prosperity. The NSA also called on Vice President of China, Han Zheng.
