WEB DESK
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval today held talks with the top official of China’s ruling Communist Party Yang Jiechi in Shanghai during which both sides agreed to maintain the pace of high-level exchanges.
An Indian Embassy press release in Beijing said that Mr Doval’s visit is part of regular high-level engagements between India and China. It said, the discussions covered a wide agenda spanning bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.
The two sides agreed to maintain the pace of high-level exchanges, with a view to fully realise the potential of closer development partnership between India and China, the release said.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are due to be in Beijing on April 24 to attend different meetings of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and interact with their counterparts on the sidelines.
The eight-member SCO in which India is the latest entrant along with Pakistan is due to hold its summit in the Chinese city of Qingdao in June in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to take part and hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Mr Doval and Mr Yang met in Shanghai instead of Beijing as Mr Yang preferred to hold it there as he is on his way back from China’s Hainan province after attending the Boao Forum for Asia, official sources said.
Mr Both Doval and Mr Yang are Special Representatives for India-China boundary talks representing their respective countries. This is the second meeting between Mr Doval and Mr Yang after the 73-day Dokalam standoff.
Mr Yang attended the 20th round of boundary talks between the two countries in Delhi last December during which both sides decided to reset ties with more interactions.
India-China Special Representatives’ meetings carry considerable significance as they are mandated to discuss all aspects of bilateral relations besides the border dispute, providing a general policy direction to ties.
After Mr Yang’s visit to New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale visited Beijing in February and held talks with top Chinese officials. The SCO comprises of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.
Ahead of the summit, the organisation which focused on anti-terrorism cooperation is holding a host of ministerial and officials’ meetings to work out a firm agenda for the summit to provide a new direction to the organisation.