Doval-Wang Yi Talks: India, China Push Boundary Delimitation, Border Peace

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday discussed ways to make progress on boundary delimitation and agreed to continue efforts towards a political settlement of the India-China boundary question while maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border.

The talks in Beijing came as New Delhi and Beijing seek to build on the recent improvement in bilateral relations. The two sides also noted progress in people-to-people and cross-border exchanges, including the ongoing Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and border trade through three designated border trading passes. The meetings took place ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s likely visit to India for the BRICS leaders’ summit on September 12-13.

Indian Express reported that the talks were part of efforts by the two countries to further improve bilateral ties.

Ahead of the Doval-Wang meeting, Doval met Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng. China urged India to view and handle the relationship from a “strategic and long-term perspective” and “properly manage differences”.

The Indian embassy in Beijing said Doval and Han discussed ways to strengthen peace and tranquillity in the border areas and improve bilateral relations across economic, political and multilateral fora, in line with the consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries.

“NSA and VP Han discussed ways to strengthen peace and tranquillity in the border areas and further improve bilateral relations across economic, political and multilateral fora, in accordance with the consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries”.

A large part of Han’s political career was spent in Shanghai under Xi Jinping. He served as the CPC secretary of Shanghai from 2012 to 2017 and is considered a member of the powerful Shanghai Clique.

After the Doval-Han meeting, China’s Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said Han had referred to two meetings between Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the past two years — in Kazan and Tianjin — and the important consensuses reached during those interactions. The Doval-Han and Doval-Wang meetings also set the stage for Xi’s likely visit to India for the BRICS summit on September 12-13.

“Han Zheng stated that over the past two years, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra 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.”

“As neighbouring 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,” he said.

Before meeting Wang, Doval said: “I am happy that over the past year our relationship has been steadily returning to normalcy. The normalcy in our relationship has been a direct result of both sides maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas.”

Following the Doval-Wang talks, the Indian embassy said the two sides had positively reviewed the momentum in bilateral relations and discussed expanding cooperation, maintaining stability along the border and making progress on boundary delimitation.

“The two sides positively reviewed the ongoing momentum in bilateral relations which is in line with the directions and vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping. They discussed ways to further expand bilateral cooperation, maintain stability and ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas, and make progress on boundary delimitation, while sustaining the ongoing work on transboundary cooperation.”

The Ministry of External Affairs said the two Special Representatives held a “candid and in-depth” exchange of views on the boundary question and agreed to continue working towards a political settlement.

“Under the strategic guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, and in a constructive and forward-looking spirit, the two Special Representatives had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on the India-China boundary question, and agreed to continue their work in seeking a political settlement of the boundary question in the context of their overall and long-term interests.”

The MEA said India stressed the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas for the continued development of bilateral relations.

“The Indian side highlighted the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas for the continued development and progress of the bilateral relationship”.

Indian Express reported that the two sides also discussed the implementation of these understandings as part of efforts to improve bilateral relations.

Both sides expressed satisfaction at the steady resumption of people-to-people and cross-border exchanges, including the ongoing Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and border trade through the three designated border trading passes, the MEA said.

The MEA said the two sides also discussed bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a readout in Mandarin, said the two sides engaged in “in-depth discussions” on “advancing border demarcation negotiations, strengthening border control, improving mechanisms, and promoting cross-border cooperation”.

“They reaffirmed their commitment to adhering to the political guiding principles reached in 2005, and to working in a spirit of mutual respect and understanding to leverage the Special Representatives’ meeting mechanism to seek a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable comprehensive solution to the border issue. Both sides will continue to properly handle the border issue through dialogue and consultation, and jointly maintain peace and tranquillity along the border,” it said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry quoted Wang as saying that China and India are important neighbours and representatives of major developing countries and emerging economies.

“The healthy and stable development of China-India relations is in the fundamental interests of both peoples, meets the common aspirations of countries in the Global South, and aligns with the trend of the times. China-India relations have transcended the bilateral scope and possess global and strategic significance.”