- Wednesday, February 05, 2025
China claims that the special representatives Wang and Doval have reached a six-point “consensus” on the China-India boundary question
By: shajil kumar
AS National Security Advisor Ajit Doval left Beijing after his crucial talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to normalise ties, China on Thursday said that the readouts issued by both countries after the talks shared “very much similar gist and elements” highlighting broader consensus.
Special Representatives for the border question, Wang and Doval, held “substantive talks” and reached a six-point “consensus” on the China-India boundary question in a “positive and constructive attitude,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a media briefing in Beijing.
“The two sides’ readouts share very much similar gist and elements,” he said.
After the talks, China said a six-point consensus was reached between the two sides.
Lin said that it is important to channel the two countries’ respective valuable resources into development and revitalisation, make sure that the boundary question is appropriately placed in bilateral relations, jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in border areas, and strive to bring China-India relations back to a healthy and steady track at an early date.
Doval left Beijing on Thursday. The Special Representatives dialogue was regarded as significant as it was the first structured engagement between the two countries after relations were frozen for over four years due to the military standoff in eastern Ladakh.
Constituted in 2003 to comprehensively address the vexed dispute of the India-China border spanning 3,488 km, Wednesday’s meeting, which was held after a gap of five years, was the 23rd conference between the two countries.
Commenting on the talks, Long Xingchun, a professor from the School of International Relations at Sichuan International Studies University, said the resumption of the Special Representatives’ meeting sends a signal that both sides are willing and confident to resolve border disputes through peaceful negotiations.
The meeting is beneficial for fostering mutual trust between the two countries and contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border regions, Long told Global Times.
The two sides assessed the border situation and agreed to further refine the management rules for the border areas, strengthen confidence-building measures, and achieve sustainable peace and tranquillity along the border.
They agreed to continue enhancing cross-border communication and cooperation, further strengthen the Special Representatives’ meeting mechanism, and hold a new round of Special Representatives talks in India next year. (PTI)
