China open to India talks ahead of Doval-Wang meet: What’s on agenda?

China expressed readiness to work with India to restore bilateral ties ahead of Wednesday’s Special Representatives (SR) meeting in Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian stated that China seeks to implement agreements between leaders, respect mutual core interests, and resolve differences with sincerity. The talks mark a crucial step toward stabilizing relations.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. This is the 23rd meeting under the SR mechanism, formed in 2003 to address the India-China border dispute.

It also marks the first such dialogue since December 2019. Previous interactions focused on multilateral issues rather than boundary resolution.

The Ministry of External Affairs outlined the meeting’s agenda. Doval and Wang will discuss maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and exploring a fair, reasonable boundary solution. The meeting follows the October agreement on patrolling arrangements along the LAC and the successful disengagement at two friction points, Demchok and Depsang, in eastern Ladakh.

The border standoff began in May 2020 with Chinese military actions in Ladakh, escalating to a deadly clash in Galwan Valley in June. Relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors plummeted, with trade and diplomacy nearly halted. After years of negotiations, the disengagement process concluded in October 2023, paving the way for a structured dialogue.

This meeting comes after External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar informed Parliament of the resolution at Demchok and Depsang. He emphasized the step-by-step approach that achieved peace in eastern Ladakh. The talks now aim to build on this progress and address broader bilateral concerns.

The SR mechanism has held 22 meetings but has yet to resolve the 3,488 km-long boundary dispute. Despite this, both sides value the platform for managing tensions and fostering dialogue.

Wednesday’s meeting signals a renewed effort to restore relations and manage border issues. As neighbors with complex ties, India and China now face the challenge of translating dialogue into sustained stability and cooperation.