India and China Engage in Talks for Resuming Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and Border Harmony During NSA Doval's Visit to Beijing
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New Delhi/Beijing, Dec 18 (NationPress) India and China convened on Wednesday to establish positive directions for cross-border collaboration and exchanges, which includes the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, data sharing concerning trans-border rivers, and enhancing border trade, during the visit of National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval to Beijing.
This information was revealed after the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives (SRs) of India and China, which was attended by NSA Doval and Wang Yi, who is a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and China's Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting held in Beijing marks the first interaction between the Special Representatives since tensions escalated in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas in 2020. The two representatives convened in line with the decisions made during the recent discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, which aimed to outline future meetings to maintain peace and tranquility along the border and to seek a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution to the boundary issue.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the SRs reaffirmed the significance of upholding a political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship while aiming for a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable framework for resolving the boundary dispute, committing to invigorate this process.
Both SRs emphasized the necessity of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas to foster the overall development of the India-China bilateral relationship. They stressed the importance of ensuring peaceful conditions to prevent border issues from hindering the normal progression of bilateral ties. Drawing lessons from the events of 2020, they deliberated on multiple strategies to uphold peace and tranquility along the border and further enhance effective border management. They resolved to utilize, coordinate, and guide the appropriate diplomatic and military mechanisms for this objective, as noted in the MEA statement.
The SRs also positively affirmed the execution of the most recent disengagement agreement from October 2024, which facilitates patrolling and grazing in designated areas.
During their discussions, the SRs exchanged insights on bilateral, regional, and global matters of mutual interest. They provided positive directions for cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, data sharing on trans-border rivers, and enhancing border trade. They acknowledged the significance of stable, predictable, and friendly India-China relations for regional and global peace and prosperity, as per the statement.
Moreover, NSA Doval extended an invitation to Wang Yi to visit India at a mutually convenient time for the next round of SR talks and also met with China's Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing on Wednesday.
