By Mewati Sitaram
India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Beijing on Wednesday for the 23rd round of Special Representatives’ talks, aiming to address border issues and restore bilateral ties that have remained stagnant for over four years.
The discussions focused on maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and advancing the October 2021 agreement on disengagement and patrolling in eastern Ladakh. Both leaders, serving as Special Representatives for their nations’ border mechanism, deliberated on a roadmap to overcome the military standoff in eastern Ladakh and rebuild trust.
Doval, leading the Indian delegation, arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, marking the first high-level dialogue under this mechanism since the 2019 talks in Delhi. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian expressed optimism ahead of the meeting, stating that China is committed to implementing the shared understandings reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping during their BRICS summit interaction in October.
Lin reiterated China’s willingness to strengthen dialogue, respect mutual concerns, and foster stability in bilateral relations. Both sides pledged to work towards settling differences amicably and preventing future border stand-offs through regular communication.
This dialogue follows the December meeting under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs, where both countries affirmed the successful implementation of troop disengagement agreements. They also resolved to draw lessons from the 2020 border crisis, emphasizing the importance of sustained diplomatic efforts.
The Beijing talks signal a renewed attempt by India and China to navigate their complex relationship, underscoring dialogue as the primary tool to restore stability along their shared border and strengthen bilateral ties.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
