India to host China on boundary talks soon

Though the boundary negotiators of India and China will meet soon, they still have differences on whether their mandate will allow them to discuss the recent military face-off in Doklam Plateau.

The special representatives of India and China   - Prime Minister Narendra Modi's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi   - are set to hold the 20th round of boundary negotiations soon.

This is going to be the first meeting between the chief interlocutors of New Delhi and Beijing after the 72-day-long military face-off in Doklam Plateau brought China's boundary disputes with both Bhutan and India under renewed focus.New Delhi and Beijing, however, are still not on the same page on whether the mandate of the special representatives for boundary negotiations will include  negotiation over the dispute in Sikkim sector of the India-China border – the scene of the latest face-off, sources told DH.

Beijing has been firm on its view that the recent stand-off in Doklam Plateau has been out of the purview of the special representatives appointed by China and India to negotiate a settlement of the disputed boundary.