China has shown a willingness to enhance mutual trust with India through open dialogue and sincere communication as the two sides are readying themselves for high-level talks this week. This follows the two nations' efforts to manage differences and bring stability to their strained ties after years of border stand-offs.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval are expected to meet in Beijing on Wednesday under the framework of the "special representatives dialogue." This will be a resumption of border talks that stalled after clashes killed dozens in 2020.

When asked about the upcoming meeting, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, "China stands ready to work with India to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries' leaders, respect each other's core interests and major concerns... and bring bilateral relations back to a stable and healthy development track at an early date."

The meeting comes months after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in Russia in October. The leaders directed officials to step up efforts to resolve disputes and stabilize bilateral ties. Their meeting followed an agreement on managing patrolling rights along the disputed border, marking progress in easing a military stand-off that lasted four years.

India- China strained relations since 2020

Relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours turned more heated in June 2020, with a violent hand-to-hand fight in the Galwan Valley claiming 20 Indian lives and four Chinese lives. It left relations severely bruised, freezing things for the second time and adding stand-offs and reoccupations, not to mention an even longer-term deepening complexity to the bilateral relationship.

Trust seems to have rebuilt slowly but surely since then. Wang and Doval have previously met in September last year in St. Petersburg, Russia, where both committed to hastening efforts towards complete disengagement along the disputed border areas.

The world will keenly observe if the current negotiations can be the key to a lasting resolution between the two nations. Through dialogue, China and India want to settle their differences "sincerity and integrity,"  according to Lin Jian.

The results of this week's meeting could shape the course of their bilateral relationship and regional stability in the long run.