National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval is set to attend the 23rd meeting of Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question in Beijing on Wednesday. He will meet his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, who is the Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and China’s Special Representative on the issue.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that the meeting follows an agreement reached during discussions between the two leaders in Kazan on October 23. “The two Special Representatives will discuss the management of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and explore a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question,” the MEA stated.
The India-China border standoff began in eastern Ladakh in 2020, along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), following Chinese military actions. The prolonged tensions significantly impacted bilateral relations, leading to an “abnormal” state of affairs between the two countries, as highlighted by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar earlier this month.
Jaishankar emphasized India’s commitment to resolving the boundary dispute through bilateral dialogue. He stated that his recent discussions with Wang Yi had paved the way for the convening of the Special Representatives’ meeting and the Foreign Secretary-level mechanism.
The 22nd meeting of the Special Representatives was held in New Delhi on December 21, 2019. Ajit Doval and Wang Yi led their respective delegations during those talks.
During a recent address to the Lok Sabha, Jaishankar reiterated the importance of restoring peace and tranquillity at the LAC for normalizing bilateral relations.
The Special Representatives’ dialogue is a crucial mechanism for addressing the long-standing boundary dispute between India and China. In addition to discussing border management, the meeting underscores efforts to stabilize relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in a period of heightened regional and global tensions.
This engagement marks a significant step in reviving diplomatic mechanisms after nearly four years, with both nations aiming for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing border issues.
17th Dec 2024
Comments