Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has expressed his willingness to collaborate closely with India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval to address issues concerning the India-China border issues along the border areas. These remarks come amidst the ongoing prolonged India-China border issues in eastern Ladakh.

In a congratulatory message to Doval following his reappointment as India’s National Security Advisor and Special Representative for the India-China boundary question, Wang highlighted the significance of the bilateral relationship between China and India. He emphasized that this relationship goes beyond mere geographical boundaries and holds increasing global importance.

The official Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday that Wang stated he is "ready to join hands with Doval to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, properly handle issues related to the situation on the ground in the border areas, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas."

India-China border issues
Image Source: Institute for National Strategic Studies

Wang, who also serves as China’s Special Representative for the India-China border talks mechanism, reiterated his commitment to implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries.

This message from Wang followed his recent meeting with India’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. It marked the first high-level engagement between Indian and Chinese officials since the formation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third-term government following the recent general elections in India.

The Special Representatives mechanism, established in 2003, plays a crucial role in comprehensively addressing the longstanding India-China border dispute spanning 3,488 kilometers. Led by India’s NSA and the Chinese Foreign Minister, this bilateral mechanism has met 19 times but has yet to achieve significant breakthroughs. Despite its usefulness in managing recurring tensions, success has remained elusive.

Recent Developments in the Border Dispute

Relations between the two countries have faced challenges, particularly since the eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted in May 2020 following a violent clash near Galwan in the Pangong Tso area.

In response to the border standoff, India has been actively engaging with China at both military and diplomatic levels. Army Chief General MM Naravane visited Ladakh to assess the situation, and India recently secured control of a strategic height near Pangong Lake’s southern bank, thwarting a Chinese transgression attempt. Subsequently, the two sides have engaged in 21 rounds of Corps Commander-level talks to resolve the standoff, with the 22nd meeting scheduled.

While the Chinese military reports disengagement from four points—Galwan Valley, Pangong Lake, Hot Springs, and Jianan Daban (Gogra) in eastern Ladakh—India continues to press for PLA disengagement from the Depsang and Demchok areas. India asserts that normalcy in bilateral relations cannot be restored until the border situation stabilizes.

China maintains that the boundary question should be appropriately placed within the broader context of China-India relations and managed accordingly.

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