Doval, Chinese Foreign Minister hold talks; stress on approaching boundary issue from strategic perspective

India and China on Saturday agreed that it is important to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and stressed on approaching the boundary issue from the strategic perspective of bilateral ties. During talks between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the decades-old Sino-India boundary issue under the framework of Special Representatives dialogue, the two sides also resolved to intensify efforts to achieve a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question

The Ministry of External Affairs said the talks were constructive with a focus on taking forward bilateral developmental partnerships. There was a consensus that both sides should respect each other's sensitivities and concerns, the MEA said in a statement.

Both sides agreed that it is important to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and underlined the importance of approaching the boundary issue from a strategic perspective of India-China ties, it said. The two sides agreed that early settlement of boundary issues serves the fundamental interests of both countries, the MEA said.

Wang arrived here on Friday night for the talks. Officials said various dimensions of the boundary issue were discussed at the talks while both sides resolved to maintain peace and tranquillity along the around 3,500-km border.

It is the first high-level visit from China to India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held the second informal summit in Mamallapuram in October as well as after New Delhi pulled out of the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Doval and Wang are the designated Special Representatives of the two countries for the boundary talks.