During the 23rd Special Representatives meeting (SRs) of India-China, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting was held in Beijing on Wednesday (December 16).
It is viewed as a major move towards bilateral talks between the two nations.
The meeting followed after a five-year hiatus focused to rebuild political trust and address the long standing boundary dispute, resurfacing by the four-year long military standoff at the LAC.
With 2024 marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India-China, the discussions are viewed as a crucial step in steering the relationship back to stable and fostering dialogue.
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
During the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives (SRs), National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed the progress made in resolving border issues between India and China. They agreed to “positively evaluate the solution reached between the two countries on border issues” and emphasized that the “implementation work should continue.
India-China agreed to strengthen military and diplomatic negotiations, reaffirming the commitment to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, Nathula border trade, and enhancing cross-border river cooperation.
The Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra was suspended since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and non-renewal of arrangements by China.
The site holds immense religious significance for Hindus, Jains and Buddhists. It centers around Mount Kailash, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
Statement by MEA
The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said that Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently met in accordance with the decision made during the recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, in Kazan for them to meet at an early date to oversee the management of peace & tranquility in border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question.
The meeting aimed to oversee the management of peace and tranquillity in India-China border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question.
“Both SRs underlined the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas to promote overall development of the India-China bilateral relationship. They emphasised the need to ensure peaceful conditions on the ground so that issues on the border do not hold back the normal development of bilateral relations. Drawing on the learnings from the events of 2020, they discussed various measures to maintain peace and tranquillity on the border and advance effective border management. They decided to use, coordinate and guide the relevant diplomatic and military mechanisms towards this purpose”, the statement read.
In the first meeting of the Special Representatives (SRs) since the 2020 frictions in the Western Sector of the India-China border, both sides affirmed the successful implementation of the disengagement agreement reached in October 2024. The agreement has led to grazing and the resumption of patrolling in relevant areas.
The statement further read, “The SRs exchanged views on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. They provided positive directions for cross-border cooperation and exchanges including resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, data sharing on trans-border rivers and border trade. They agreed on the salience of stable, predictable and amicable India-China relations for regional and global peace and prosperity.”
China’s statement
China’s Foreign Ministry said that Doval and Wang engaged in substantive discussions on the China-India border issue, resulting in a six-point consensus. The points included stated an agreement between the nations to continue resolving their border dispute without affecting bilateral relations, reaffirming their commitment to a fair solution as per the 2005 guidelines.
It further said that India-China agreed to strengthen cross-border exchanges, resume Indian pilgrimages to Tibet, enhance river cooperation, and promote Nathula trade, decided to improve coordination through the Special Representatives’ mechanism and the WMCC for effective implementation of agreements.
However, the statement issued by External Affairs Ministry did not mention the six-point consensus that the Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed was reached.
