Early Times Report
Beijing, Aug 23: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Monday to take part in the India-China Special Representatives (SR) talks on the boundary issue with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Doval and Wang are scheduled to hold the 25th round of SR talks on Tuesday, according to official sources. Both Doval and Wang are the designated SRs for the boundary talks mechanism, which was established in 2003 to comprehensively address the vexed boundary dispute of the India-China border spanning 3,488 km. While success eluded it in resolving the boundary dispute, officials on both sides regard the structured mechanism as a useful tool in addressing the recurring tensions between the two countries on various fronts. The upcoming talks assume significance as they are being held ahead of the much-anticipated visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India to attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13. While there is no official confirmation about Xi’s visit, officials on both sides are optimistic about the Chinese leader’s participation, which could provide an opportunity for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the summit to discuss initiatives to take forward bilateral ties. |