NSA Doval meets Chinese diplomat Wang Yi, discusses bilateral relations

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval met top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi to discuss bilateral relations between India and China. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Friends of BRICS meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa on Monday. The meeting came days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Wang, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, and discussed outstanding issues relating to peace and tranquillity in border areas. India is currently engaged in a military standoff with China with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar describing the situation as the most complex challenge in his career. India has maintained that the bilateral relationship cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border area. During the meeting with Doval, Wang said the two sides should enhance strategic mutual trust, focus on consensus and cooperation, overcome obstacles and bring bilateral relations back on track for sound and stable development as soon as possible, China’s state-run news agency Xinhua reported. Meanwhile, Wang stressed that China will never seek hegemony and is ready to work with developing countries like India in an effort to support multilateralism and the democratisation of international relations and promote the more just and equitable development of international order. Earlier on Monday, Doval called for collective efforts to deal with challenges emanating from cybersecurity at the Friends of BRICS meeting. With inputs from PTI