India-China border standoff eroded strategic trust between both countries: NSA Ajit Doval to China's Wang Yi

Johannesburg, July 25: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held discussions on bilateral ties with top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on Friday (24 July). The meeting between the two took place during the Friends of BRICS meeting in South Africa.

 

Wang Yi, the director of the office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

 

 

 

 

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, "During the meeting, NSA conveyed that the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China boundary since 2020 had eroded strategic trust and the public and political basis of the relationship".

 

NSA emphasised "the importance of continuing efforts to fully resolve the situation and restore peace and tranquility in the border areas, so as to remove impediments to normalcy in bilateral relations".

 

"The two sides agreed that the India-China bilateral relationship is significant not only for the two countries but also for the region and world," it added.

 

 

 

NSA Ajit Doval's meeting with Wang Yi comes days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's meeting with Wang in Jakarta, where they addressed outstanding issues pertaining to peace and tranquillity in border areas.

 

India and China have been engaged in a military standoff for over three years, which has been described by Jaishankar as the most challenging situation he has faced in his diplomatic career.

 

India has consistently maintained that normalising the bilateral relationship is contingent upon achieving peace in the border area.

 

In the meeting with Doval, Wang emphasised the need for enhanced strategic mutual trust, consensus, and cooperation between the two sides. He expressed the importance of overcoming obstacles and swiftly restoring sound and stable development in bilateral relations, China's state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

 

 

Wang stressed that China will never seek hegemony, and stands ready to work with developing countries, including India, to support multilateralism and the democratisation of international relations, and promote the more just and equitable development of international order.

 

Earlier on 24 July, Doval emphasised the need for collective efforts to address cybersecurity challenges during the Friends of BRICS meeting.

 

As part of this, the NSA engaged in several bilateral discussions with counterparts from BRICS countries and Friends of BRICS countries. Next month, South Africa will be hosting the BRICS Summit, a gathering of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This summit serves as a platform for these nations to come together and discuss various issues of mutual interest.