China on Wednesday presented an upbeat picture of Sino-India ties ahead of this week’s border talks, saying the relations maintained “sound momentum” as the two countries “properly managed” differences through dialogue and consultations.
The 21st round of India-China border talks between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be held at the picturesque Dujiangyan near southwest China’s Chengdu city from November 23 to 24.
Announcing the talks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said: “under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, China-India relations have maintained sound momentum of growth”.
“With ever-deepening cooperation in all areas, the two sides have maintained close communication and coordination in all border related affairs.
“We have properly managed the differences through dialogue and consultation. The border areas on the whole maintained stability,” he said, answering a question on how China viewed the progress made during the 20th rounds of talks.
Elaborating further on China’s view on the border talks, Geng said the two sides attached great importance to it.
“The two special representatives will have in-depth exchange of view on border related issues. They will follow the guidance of the consensus reached by the two leaders bearing in mind the general picture of the bilateral ties and benefits of the two peoples on the basis of the outcomes that have been achieved to actively promote the negations.
“At the same time, we properly manage differences, peace and tranquillity at the border areas. The two sides will also exchange views on major issue of bilateral ties and the regional and international issue of mutual interest,” he said.
Officials on both sides maintain that though a solution to the border dispute still eludes the two countries, a lot of headway has been made in the 20 rounds of talks in terms of working out mechanisms to restore peace and tranquillity along the border to resolve tensions out of the aggressive patrolling by troops.
The last round which was held in New Delhi between Doval and Yang took place in the immediate backdrop of 73-day standoff between the two militaries at Doklam over Chinese military’s plan to build a road close to India’s strategic Chicken Neck corridor connecting the northeastern states.
It ended after the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) halted the plans to build the road.
