National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing on December 18, 2024, during the 23rd round of Special Representatives talks aimed at addressing the longstanding border issues between India and China. This meeting marked a significant step in resuming dialogue after a five-year hiatus, with the last meeting occurring in 2019.

Han Zheng emphasized the importance of cultivating political mutual trust and gradually restoring institutional dialogue between the two countries. He noted that both nations should enhance cooperation in various fields, including economy, trade, and culture, to stabilize bilateral relations.


The meeting comes at a pivotal time as 2025 will mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and China. Both leaders acknowledged this milestone and the need to implement the consensus reached by their respective leaders during previous meetings.

Doval and Han discussed measures to maintain peace and tranquility along the border, which has been a source of tension since clashes began in 2020. They reiterated the need for effective management of border issues to prevent them from hindering overall bilateral relations.

Doval invited Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister, to visit India for further discussions, indicating a commitment to ongoing dialogue and cooperation between the two nations.

Notably, this was the first meeting of the SRs since friction had emerged in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas in 2020. The SRs positively affirmed the implementation of the latest disengagement agreement of October 2024, resulting in patrolling and grazing in relevant areas.