China, India reach important consensus on boundary issues: FM

CHENGDU -- Senior officials of China and India had reached some important consensus on boundary issues during a Saturday meeting, said a press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The 21st round of talks between Chinese and Indian special representatives on boundary issues was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Both sides agreed to continuously promote the process of special representatives talks in line with the important consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on properly resolving border issues and developing China-India relations, to reach a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solutions as soon as possible, said the press release.

The two sides will jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas before a final settlement of the boundary issues, said the press release.

Both sides agreed to implement the consensus of the two countries' leaders to all levels of personnel, including front-line troops, and further improve the construction of trust measures in border areas, while strengthening the communication and coordination of the two countries' departments involved in border issues.

Both sides shared the view that border trade and people-to-people exchange should be expanded step by step, to consolidate the public opinion foundation of border areas' friendly cooperation and create a good atmosphere for border negotiations and the development of bilateral relations.

On bilateral ties, the press release said the two sides took the view that China-India relations had witnessed comprehensively positive progress and stepped into a new development stage after an informal meeting of Xi and Modi in Wuhan in April.

The two sides will continuously strengthen strategic communication, lift political mutual trust and expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields to usher in a new level on the China-India Closer Developmental Partnership, it said.