Chinese FM’s India Visit Signals Thaw in Ties
Wang Yi to hold border talks with Doval.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will arrive in India on Monday for a two-day visit to engage in crucial border talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced. The visit, part of the 24th round of Special Representatives’ (SR) dialogue on the India-China boundary question, comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin on August 31-September 1.
Wang, a member of the Communist Party of China’s Politburo, will also hold bilateral discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The MEA stated, “At the invitation of NSA Ajit Doval, Wang Yi will visit India on August 18 and 19 to hold SR talks on the boundary question.” This follows a December 2024 meeting in China between Doval and Wang, spurred by a Modi-Xi Jinping agreement in Kazan, Russia, on October 23, 2024, to revive dialogue mechanisms.
The visit reflects ongoing efforts to mend India-China relations, strained since the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes that killed Indian and Chinese troops. A breakthrough disengagement agreement on October 21, 2024, resolved tensions at Demchok and Depsang, paving the way for renewed ties. Initiatives like resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals, and exploring direct flight services signal a warming of relations.
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Modi’s upcoming SCO summit visit, following a trip to Japan around August 29, underscores the diplomatic momentum. Recent visits by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Jaishankar to China for SCO meetings highlight China’s role as the current SCO chair. The SR talks aim to address lingering border issues, fostering stability and cooperation between the two nations as they navigate a complex geopolitical landscape.
