Beijing: Amid the dragging border row, China on Thursday raised “major problems” in ties with India as its top diplomat Yang Jiechi held talks with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on the sidelines of a BRICS security meet.
The two met “separately” and exchanged views on bilateral relations where Yang expressed China’s view on “major problems and bilateral issues”, according to China’s official news agency Xinhua.
It was not known whether Doval and China’s State Councillor Yang discussed the stand-off between their armies in Doklam in Sikkim sector that is in its second month, and has added to the host of disputes between the two countries that fought a war in 1962.
The meeting between the two top officials is seen as a positive sign in view of Beijing’s tough public posturing on the issue.
Earlier, China had ruled out any talks over the feud until India withdraws troops from Doklam.
Beijing claims Doklam as its own territory.
India has said it is ready to pull back from the Bhutanese territory if China does so too.
Doval along with his BRICS counterparts will call on Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday.
Some experts fear the festering situation could lead to an armed conflict.
Doklam, located at the tri-junction of India, Bhutan and China, is of high strategic importance to all three. It is disputed by Bhutan and China.
India says Doklam is Bhutanese territory and perceives any Chinese presence in the area as a threat to its own security.
The stand-off began over a road being built by the Chinese Army in Doklam. Indian troops halted the work in mid June, leading to the crisis.
Yang separately met South African Minister of State Security David Mahlobo, Brazilian Institutional Security Minister Sergio Etchegoyen and India’s NSA Doval and exchanged views on “bilateral relations, international and regional issues and multilateral affairs, and set forth China’s position on bilateral issues and major problems”.
He met Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrusheissues on Wednesday.
