press trust of india
Beijing, August 2: China Wednesday said it has conveyed its firm stand to India that it must take “concrete actions” by immediately pulling back troops from Doklam in the Sikkim section with “no strings attached” to resolve the current standoff.
Providing the details of the July 28 meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and State Councillor Yang Jiechi for the first time, Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the two officials exchanged views on BRICS cooperation, bilateral relations and relevant major problems. Doval was in Beijing last month to attend the BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa — NSAs meeting.
Doval and Yang are also the Special Representatives of the boundary talks between the two nations.
Yang held bilateral meeting with Doval “at his request and in accordance with the practice”, the ministry said in a written reply to a question about the discussions relating to the standoff at Doklam which began when China started constructing a road in the area.
“Yang Jiechi expressed China’s stern positions and explicit requirements on the trespass of Indian border troops into China’s territory at the Sikkim section of China-India boundary,” it said, indicating that there was no breakthrough during the talks between Doval and Yang.
India’s position on the issue was made clear by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj last month, saying both sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place, favouring a peaceful resolution of the border standoff. India also conveyed to the Chinese government that the road construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for it.
