India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will come and co-chair the talks with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi. Both the leaders had an “extensive, deep and candid” discussion on the 3,488 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC), which remains undemarcated resulting in tensions between the two sides.
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On the border dispute, officials on both sides said the protracted boundary talks made progress. China stated that it was willing to develop closer ties with India, which would lead to greater peace and prosperity between the two nations. Besides, India is interested in a more detailed conversation with the Chinese on the quadrilateral dialogue on Afghanistan, which excludes India and Russian Federation, but includes China, Pakistan, the United States and Afghanistan. Both sides shared the view that China-India relations have broad prospects and Beijing and New Delhi have far more common interests than differences.
In Moscow, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said, following External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that the, “External Affairs Minister emphasised that as common victims of terrorism, China and India should cooperate in combating the challenge of terrorism”.
Keqiang said China and India are important neighbouring countries, whose peaceful co-existence and cooperation are conducive for both sides and the world. “The issue should be closed within one or two months”, media reports quoted Parrikar as saying after the meeting. But China was averse to accept it and for its part suggested a code of conduct. “But not in the way we had decided that we will take time to have more informal and more relaxed interactions, not only talking from the mind but talking from the heart”. The sources said that in order to reinforce border stability, the Indian side has proposed that the two sides share information on the actual ground position of troops along the LAC in order to prevent inadvertent transgressions. Otherwise, there is only the perception of the border and so it causes problems.
India’s other security concerns include China’s improvement of infrastructure in the Gilgit region of Pakistan occupied Kashmir, where it is engaged in building a railway network as well as a dam.
The Azhar issue was expected to figure prominently in the talks on Wednesday. Parrikar told reporters in Beijing on Monday that he had impressed upon China the need to resume the process, and that India was “insisting it should be done in order to really ensure a very stable border because all the issues take place because of perception”.
The mechanism of the special representatives was established in 2003. The two countries first reached an agreement on the guiding principles and setting political parameters for the settlement in 2005. Officials say the special representatives are now in the second stage, focusing on working out a framework of settlement to be followed by final step drawing the boundary line based on a framework agreement.
A day before Doval’s visit, Chinese officials said they were “in communication” with India over the issue, but reiterated their stand that placing the technical hold was done “in accordance with facts” and rules of the UNSC 1267 sanctions committee.
“Very soon DGMO’s hotline matter will resolve, the draft is ready and China has agreed to set up a hotline between two countries for smooth and friendly talk on DGMO level”, Parrikar said during a press event at the Naval Commander’s Conference in New Delhi.
“We oppose double standards in counter terrorism campaign”. China will properly manage disputes while boosting bilateral cooperation with India, making contributions to Asia’s economic growth, Li said.
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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar in Beijing, capital of China, April 19, 2016. Doval and Yang are also reported to have discussed a range of issues including India’s concern over $46 billion trade deficit with China in about $70 billion bilateral trade.
