new delhi, Aug 19
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Tuesday met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at Hyderabad House and held the 24th round of the Special Representative-level talks. NSA Doval and Wang, who is on a two-day India visit, discussed the sensitive border issues between the two countries. In his opening remarks during the meeting, Doval said, “I’m very hopeful that, like the last one, this 24th Special Representative Level Talks will be equally successful.” He also confirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China to attend the SCO Summit.
“Our Prime Minister will be visiting for the SCO Summit shortly and therefore, I think that these SR-level talks assume a very special importance,” he said.
The talks reportedly focused on the de-escalation of troops on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Troops of both India and China are still amassed on the LAC, and both Doval and Wang discussed the de-escalation process. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit China later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. Modi is also likely to hold a bilateral with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Ahead of the visit, the two countries want to sort out the most pressing issues to ensure the meeting between PM Modi and President Xi is held in conducive environment.
Earlier on Monday, Wang also met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Delhi.
During the meeting, the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues including economic and trade relations, pilgrimages, people-to-people exchanges, river data sharing, border trade, connectivity, and other bilateral matters.
In his opening remarks during the meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Jaishankar said, “This occasion provides us an opportunity to review our bilateral ties. It is also an appropriate time to exchange views on the global situation and on issues of mutual interest.”
Acknowledging that the two countries have experienced a difficult phase, the Minister underlined the need to move forward constructively.
“Having gone through a difficult period in our relationship, our two nations must now seek to move ahead. This requires a candid and constructive approach from both sides.
In that endeavour, we must be guided by the three mutuals—mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest. Differences must not turn into disputes, nor competition into conflict,” Jaishankar said.
