National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, India's Special Representative on the India-China Boundary Question, arrived in Beijing on Monday, 25 August for a two-day visit ahead of the 25th round of Special Representatives' Talks on the India-China Boundary Question, scheduled for Tuesday. Beijing confirmed that both sides will continue in-depth communication on the border issue in line with the spirit of the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries.

Beijing's Position on the Talks

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, speaking at a regular media briefing in Beijing on Monday, described the Special Representatives' Meeting as 'the main channel for border negotiations between the two countries and an important platform for communication on issues of mutual concern.' He noted that the previous round — the 24th meeting, held last August — saw both sides exchange 'frank and in-depth views' and reach 'several consensuses.'

'At this meeting, both sides will continue in-depth communication on the border issue in accordance with the spirit of the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas,' Lin said. 'The two sides will also exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues,' he added.

Doval's Meetings in Beijing

Doval is in Beijing at the invitation of Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister and Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Doval will also call on China's Vice President Han Zheng during the visit — a meeting that signals the diplomatic weight being attached to this round of talks.

India's Consistent Stance on Border Peace

India has maintained that the state of border affairs will directly reflect on the broader trajectory of bilateral ties with China. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had stated earlier this month: 'In matters relating to the border areas between India and China, we have always emphasised in discussions with the Chinese side that we consider these issues as most serious and that the maintenance of peace and tranquility in these areas is of the utmost importance.'

This position was also reiterated at the 36th Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) meeting on India-China border affairs, held on 6 August, where both sides held 'frank discussions' and reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). It was agreed to continue using existing mechanisms — including the WMCC, local commander-level meetings, and other diplomatic and military channels — to resolve outstanding issues and prevent misunderstanding along the LAC.

Context and What to Watch

The 25th round of Special Representatives' Talks comes amid a gradual, if cautious, diplomatic thaw between the two neighbours, following years of friction triggered by the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. This is the first such meeting in over a year and carries added significance given the planned bilateral engagements at the leadership level. Analysts will watch whether Tuesday's talks produce any concrete agreements on remaining friction points along the LAC, or whether the outcome remains limited to process-level commitments.