Talks with China likely in Dec

New Delhi : Continuing with the agreement to discuss the boundary issue, the next round of talks between designated special representatives Ajit Doval and Yang Jeichi are likely to be held in December. Yang, who was recently elevated as a member of the Politburo at the recent Congress of the Communist Party of China, is expected to travel to India for the 20th round of border talks. The last meeting was held in April 2016. Sources said the plan to hold a meeting was made on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Xiamen. It would be the first such engagement on the issue after the 73-day Doklam standoff. Earlier, there were reports of both Doval and Yang having met each other during the Doklam crisis while PM Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping held a meeting at Xiamen with India stating that both sides adopting constructive approach and reaffirming the understanding reached at Astana “not to allow differences to become disputes”. State Councillor Yang’s visit is expected after a visit by Foreign Minister Wang Yi who is to travel to India to attend the Russia-India-China trilateral event in December. There has been no official announcement as regards any possible dates for either of the visits.