India-China special representatives to meet in Beijing; what's expected
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will meet China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Saturday. The meeting will be the 23rd session of the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question, a group formed in 2003 to resolve border issues between the two countries. The upcoming talks are especially important as they are the first since the military standoff along the LAC since May 2020.
Meeting follows disengagement agreement along LAC
The talks come after India and China had agreed in October on patrolling arrangements along the LAC. The agreement came after a disengagement process was completed at Demchok and Depsang, ending tensions caused by Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said the disengagement was "fully achieved" through a "step-by-step process."
Talks to focus on border peace and dispute resolution
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that the talks will focus on maintaining "peace and tranquility in border areas. The talks also seek to find a "fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable" solution to the boundary question. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said China is ready to work with India in implementing common understandings between their leaders and deepening mutual trust through dialogue.
Meeting endorsed by PM Modi and President Jinping
The Doval-Wang meeting was endorsed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their October meeting in Kazan. They approved an agreement on patrolling and disengagement along the LAC in eastern Ladakh and instructed the Special Representatives to meet to discuss further steps. This mechanism has met 22 times in the past but has yet to fully resolve the boundary dispute.
Talks crucial for restoring India-China bilateral relations
The upcoming talks between Doval and Wang are considered vital for reviving bilateral ties, which have been strained since a deadly clash in Galwan Valley in June 2020. Despite challenges, both sides consider the Special Representatives mechanism a useful tool for managing recurring tensions between India and China. The last time Doval and Wang met was in September on the sidelines of a meeting in St Petersburg, Russia.
