Sushma, Wang pledge to deepen trust and strategic communication

NEW DELHI: India and China on Monday decided to adopt a forward looking approach, enhance strategic communication, cooperate on areas of convergence and hold pending dialogues to better manage their partnership in the backdrop of the border standoff at Dokalam that lasted for about 75 days.

Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj, who met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi here on Monday, conveyed to the visitor that the neighbours should not allow differences to become disputes and disrupt relationship, people familiar with the matter told ET. Wang is the first Chinese minister to visit India after the resolution of the Dokalam standoff.

The two ministers decided to have a forward-looking approach and enhance their strategic communication to better manage their partnership as and when differences arise on non-demarcated boundary as well as other key issues including terror, one the people said.


They also decided to enhance cooperation in areas of convergence, including at the World Trade Organization and on climate change. New Delhi and Beijing agreed to restart pending bilateral dialogues across sectors.

State councillor and special representative on boundary talks Yang Jiechi is expected to visit India soon for the 20th round of boundary talks with Indian counterpart and national security adviser Ajit Doval.

“Foreign minister Wang Yi and I agreed that we should further strengthen our mutual trust to develop a better understanding between the two parties,” Swaraj said.