The Asian neighbors agreed on the need for better bilateral ties during the latest boundary negotiations in New Delhi on Tuesday
India and China have praised the “peace” and “tranquillity” established along their border since bilateral relations began to improve last year.
The friendly exchange of remarks was made at the beginning of the 24th round of border negotiations between the countries.
”There has been an upward trend,” Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. “Borders have been quiet. There has been peace and tranquillity.”
Wang echoed Doval’s sentiments on the improved situation along the 2,167-mile border. “We are heartened to see the stability we see,” the Chinese foreign minister said, adding that both nations “should increase mutual trust and properly settle the border issues.”
Wang and Doval are the Special Representatives for the boundary negotiations.
On Tuesday, Doval said bilateral engagements between the Asian neighbors have been more substantial over the last ten months. For this he credited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose talks on the sidelines of the 2024 BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan led to a breakthrough in strained ties. Relations had been tense since a 2020 border clash in the Himalayas claimed the lives of soldiers from both countries.
Following the Kazan meeting, the countries announced an agreement on disengagement from areas of tension and have since worked towards normalizing their relations.
In July, China allowed Indian pilgrims to visit the Hindu holy sites of Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar for the first time since 2020.
India has also restarted issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens after a gap of five years.
On Tuesday, Wang pointed out that the setbacks experienced by India and China in the past few years were not in the interests of either country. “History and reality proves once again that a healthy and stable China-India relationship serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both of our countries,” he said. “It is also what the developing countries all want to see.”
Wang, who held talks with his Indian counterpart, S. Jaishankar, on Monday, is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Modi before his departure for Pakistan.
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