Ajit Doval, Wang Yi hold key talks on India-China border issue, improving bilateral ties

Mangalore Today News Network

Beijing, Aug 25, 2026: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday held talks as Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question and ways to improve bilateral relations.

The talks assume significance as they come ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected visit to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit on September 12-13. They are also being held amid continuing differences between the two countries over the border issue, including Arunachal Pradesh.

Doval and Wang are the designated Special Representatives for the boundary talks mechanism, established in 2003 to address the 3,488-km India-China border dispute.

Doval, who arrived in Beijing on Monday for a two-day visit, earlier met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng. The two leaders discussed strengthening peace and tranquillity along the border and improving bilateral ties across economic, political and multilateral platforms, in line with the consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, the Indian Embassy said.

Han stressed the need for China and India to approach their bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective and work towards implementing the key understandings reached by their leaders.

He called for greater strategic mutual trust, expanded cooperation, closer multilateral coordination and proper management of differences to ensure stable and sustained development of China-India relations, according to state-run Xinhua.

Relations between New Delhi and Beijing deteriorated sharply following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and the prolonged military stand-off in eastern Ladakh. However, both sides have since taken several steps to stabilise ties.

Although the Special Representatives mechanism has not resolved the boundary dispute, officials on both sides view it as an important channel for addressing recurring tensions and maintaining communication.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, while announcing the talks on Monday, said Doval and Wang would hold an in-depth discussion on the boundary question as well as bilateral, regional and international issues.

Lin described the Special Representatives talks as the “main channel” for negotiations on the boundary question and an important platform for discussing issues of mutual interest.

The two countries held the 24th round of Special Representatives talks in August last year, during which they exchanged views on the boundary issue and reached several common understandings.

During the latest round, the two sides are expected to continue discussions on the boundary question with the aim of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border. They will also exchange views on bilateral relations and regional and international developments.

The talks come ahead of Xi’s expected visit to India, which could provide an opportunity for him to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit and discuss ways to further strengthen bilateral ties.

Modi and Xi last met in August 2025 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin.