Beijing, August 25: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Tuesday met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing and discussed measures to strengthen peace and tranquillity along the India-China border and further improve bilateral relations.
Doval, who is on a two-day visit to China, is also India’s Special Representative on the India-China Boundary Question. The meeting took place ahead of the 25th round of Special Representative talks between Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi scheduled for Tuesday.
The Embassy of India in China said in a post on X that Doval called on Han Zheng on August 25. During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and strengthen bilateral relations in economic, political and multilateral forums, in line with the understanding reached between the leaders of the two countries.
Doval is scheduled to hold the 25th round of boundary talks with Wang Yi later in the day. The two officials had also met in June on the sidelines of the BRICS National Security Advisers’ meeting in New Delhi.
During their June meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs said the two sides reviewed developments in bilateral relations and noted progress towards gradual normalisation. Doval emphasised that stable, predictable and constructive relations between India and China would contribute to greater trust and understanding.
The latest discussions are part of efforts by New Delhi and Beijing to improve bilateral ties following meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at international forums. The two leaders last held talks in October 2024 in Kazan and subsequently met on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin.
During their meetings, Modi and Xi noted progress in bilateral relations and said that India and China should view each other as development partners rather than rivals, while ensuring that differences do not develop into disputes.
The Ministry of External Affairs has maintained that stable relations and cooperation between India and China, based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity, are important for the development of both countries and for a multipolar Asia and world.