Indian and Chinese Special Representatives on the boundary issue are expected to meet in India by month-end, amid a flurry of high-level exchanges leading up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China in May.
Highly placed sources told The Hindu that both sides are working on dates for a possible February-end meeting between China’s visiting state councilor, Yang Jiechi, and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, who is also India’s Special Representative on the boundary issue.
Keeping up the momentum of high-level exchanges following External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit to China earlier this month, Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the central committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), called on Mr. Modi on Friday.
Xinhua is reporting that the Prime Minister advocated stronger economic and trade ties between two countries, which, in his view, would help New Delhi and Beijing play a “more important role” in Asia and the world.
Ms. Swaraj had visited China, shortly after the high-profile visit to India by U.S. President Barack Obama, signalling that India’s “multi-vectored diplomacy” of simultaneous engagement with the major powers was in full flow.
Sources said that her Chinese hosts had gone out of their way to welcome Ms. Swaraj — marking a subtle “correction” of their disposition towards the Minister, on whom the focus was somewhat blurred during President Xi Jinping’s visit to India in September last.
In Munich, Mr. Yang and Mr. Doval had advocated an acceleration of the boundary talks.
Following that meeting, Global Times — a daily associated with the CPC — ran an op-ed titled, “Sino-Indian border deal requires clear signals.”
It pointed out that India was sending mixed signals regarding the border.
“India's regular patrolling along the border areas has been stepped up, and a massive infrastructure programme has been launched in these areas. Under such circumstances, more patience is needed for a breakthrough of the solution” said the daily.
However, the article acknowledged that “India is making efforts in showing flexibility and creating a favourable atmosphere on resolving the issue.”
The write-up quoting Ms. Swaraj’s advocacy for an “out of the box” solution to the border issue, stressed that such an approach is likely to be reflected in “a breakthrough over the eastern part of the border, which contains the most controversial area between China and India.”
Slamming what it called was the “illegal McMahon Line,” the op-ed, based on an interview with Lan Jianxue, an associate research fellow with the China Institute of International Studies, stressed that, “If India won’t make adjustments over the line, there will be no suggestion whatsoever that the two sides are any closer to agreeing.”
On the contrary, analysts say that during the upcoming boundary talks, India would be looking for “greater flexibility” from the Chinese side, and also gauge whether it reflects the changing internal power dynamics in China, and the diminishing role of “hardliners,” in tune with Mr. Xi’s consolidation of power.
