BEIJING, Aug 25: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing and discussed measures to maintain peace and tranquillity along the border and further strengthen bilateral relations, the Indian Embassy said.
Doval arrived in Beijing on Monday for a two-day visit to participate in the Special Representatives (SR) talks on the India-China boundary question with Chinese Foreign Minister and his counterpart Wang Yi.
During his meeting with Han Zheng, Doval discussed ways to strengthen peace and tranquillity in border areas and improve bilateral ties across economic, political and multilateral platforms, in line with the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries.
The SR-level talks between Doval and Wang Yi are scheduled to be held later in the day.
The talks assume significance as they come ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected visit to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit on September 12-13. Differences over the boundary issue and Arunachal Pradesh continue to remain key challenges in India-China relations.
Relations between the two countries came under severe strain following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and the prolonged military standoff in eastern Ladakh. However, New Delhi and Beijing have since taken several steps towards stabilising ties.
Doval and Wang are the designated Special Representatives for negotiations on the boundary question. The mechanism was established in 2003 to seek a comprehensive settlement of the 3,488-km India-China border dispute.
Although the mechanism has not resolved the boundary dispute, officials from both sides consider it an important platform for addressing tensions and maintaining dialogue.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the SR talks would involve in-depth discussions on the boundary issue as well as bilateral, regional and international matters.
Lin described the SR mechanism as the “main channel” for negotiations on the boundary question and an important platform for communication on issues of mutual interest.
The two countries held the 24th round of SR talks in August last year, during which they exchanged views on the boundary question and reached several common understandings.
According to Lin, the latest round will focus on maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border while also discussing bilateral relations and regional and international developments.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi last met in August 2025 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin.
