China and Bhutan on Tuesday signed a "Cooperation Agreement” outlining the responsibilities and functions of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) on the delimitation and demarcation of the boundary between the two countries after their 25th round of border talks here.

Bhutan’s Foreign Minister Dr. Tandi Dorji, who is currently visiting Beijing, and China’s Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong held the 25th Round of Boundary Talks on Monday and Tuesday. On the sideline of border talks, Dorji met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Tuesday and held talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday during which they urged Bhutan to establish diplomatic ties with China and resolve the boundary issue as soon as possible to transform the relations between the two neighbours into legal form.

The two sides held in-depth discussions on the boundary negotiations and noted the progress made through a series of Expert Group Meetings since the 24th Round of Boundary Talks in 2016, a joint press release issued by the Bhutanese Foreign Ministry said.

During the talks, the two leaders of the delegations signed the Cooperation Agreement between Bhutan and China on the Responsibilities and Functions of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) on the Delimitation and Demarcation of the Bhutan-China Boundary, it said.

The JTT was established during the 13th Expert Group Meeting to assist the Expert Group in the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Three-Step Roadmap. The two sides agreed to continue working together to simultaneously push forward the implementation of all the steps of the Three-Step Roadmap, it said, adding that both sides agreed to build on the positive momentum.

The discussions were held in a warm and friendly atmosphere in keeping with the ties of friendship and cooperation between Bhutan and China. The two sides also exchanged views on enhancing bilateral relations and matters of mutual interest, the press release said. In his meeting with Dorji, Han said both sides agreed to accelerate the boundary demarcation process and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Han said that China and Bhutan are friendly neighbours and although the two countries have not yet established diplomatic relations, they have long maintained friendly exchanges. "China always respects Bhutan's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and is willing to strengthen exchanges at all levels and in all fields, expand practical cooperation on the economy, trade, culture and tourism, and accelerate the boundary demarcation process and the establishment of diplomatic relations with Bhutan to bring more benefits to the two countries and the two peoples," Han said.

For his part, Dorji told Han that the Bhutanese government attaches great importance to the development of relations with China and abides firmly by the one-China principle. Both sides have firm determination and a sincere desire to demarcate their boundaries and establish diplomatic relations at an early date, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Wang told Dorji that the restoration of diplomatic ties will serve the long-term interests of both countries, a Chinese Foreign Ministry press release here said.

“The conclusion of boundary negotiations and the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bhutan fully serve the long-term and fundamental interests of the country and nation of Bhutan," Wang said.

China is ready to work with Bhutan in the same direction, seize the historic opportunity, complete this important process as soon as possible, and fix and develop China-Bhutan friendly relations in legal form," Wang, also a member of the powerful Political Bureau of the ruling Communist Party, told Dorji.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry press release quoted Dorji as saying that Bhutan firmly abides by the one-China principle meaning Taiwan and Tibet are part of China and stands ready to work with China for an early settlement of the boundary issue and advance the political process of establishing diplomatic relations.

China and Bhutan do not have diplomatic relations but maintain contact through periodic visits by officials. While Beijing resolved the boundary disputes with the 12 other neighbours, India and Bhutan are the only two countries China has yet to sign the border agreements. China in recent years stepped up efforts to establish full-fledged diplomatic ties with Bhutan and to expedite negotiations to reach a settlement for the vexed border dispute which was complicated by Beijing's attempts to claim Doklam despite Thimphu's assertions that the area belonged to it.

China's attempts to build a road in the Doklam plateau in 2017 resulted in an India-China stand-off triggering tensions between the two neighbours. India strongly opposed the construction of the road by the Chinese military at the Doklam tri-junction as it would have impacted its overall security interests since it runs close to the narrow Siliguri Corridor also known as the Chicken Neck connecting India with its north-east.

The standoff ended after Beijing dropped its plan to build the road. Also in 2020, China made a surprising claim on Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council by opposing funding for the project. Bhutan has lodged a demarche to the Chinese Embassy in India over China's claim over the sanctuary made at the GEF meeting.

China has also ramped up efforts to develop the villages located along borders with India Bhutan and Nepal with infrastructure development and preferential policies. Beijing and Thimphu held their 13th Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the Bhutan-China Boundary issues in Beijing in August this year.

Dorji's current visit to Beijing comes in the backdrop of remarks by Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering in March this year that Bhutan hopes to complete the demarcation of territories with China within one or two meetings.

"We do not encounter major border problems with China, but certain territories are not yet demarcated. We still have to discuss it and draw a line," Dr Tshering told Belgian newspaper La Libre in an interview published during his visit to Brussels in March this year.

As Tshering's remarks raised concerns in India considering the close ties, Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck visited New Delhi in April and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which the two leaders resolved to expand the close ties between the countries.

Briefing the media on the talks between Prime Minister Modi and Bhutan King, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the two countries share ties characterised by trust, goodwill, and mutual understanding. India and Bhutan remain in close touch relating to our shared interest, including security interest, he said.

After his interview stoked controversy, Tshering told The Bhutanese newspaper that he had said nothing new in his statements to the Belgian paper on Doklam and the Bhutan-China boundary talks. "I have said nothing new and there is no change in position," he said.

In his talks with Dorji on Monday, Wang also said China always prioritises neighbourhood diplomacy in its overall diplomacy and adheres to the principle that all countries, big or small, are equals. The Chinese press release also said Dorji expressed Thimphu's backing for President Xi Jinping's Global Security Initiative (GSI), the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Cultural Initiative (GCI) to further Beijing's strategic initiatives.

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China and Bhutan on Tuesday signed a "Cooperation Agreement” outlining the responsibilities and functions of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) on the delimitation and demarcation of the boundary between the two countries after their 25th round of border talks here.

China and Bhutan on Tuesday signed a "Cooperation Agreement” outlining the responsibilities and functions of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) on the delimitation and demarcation of the boundary between the two countries after their 25th round of border talks here. Bhutan’s Foreign Minister Dr. Tandi Dorji, who is currently visiting Beijing, and China’s Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong held the 25th Round of Boundary Talks on Monday and Tuesday. On the sideline of border talks, Dorji met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Tuesday and held talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday during which they urged Bhutan to establish diplomatic ties with China and resolve the boundary issue as soon as possible to transform the relations between the two neighbours into legal form. The two sides held in-depth discussions on the boundary negotiations and noted the progress made through a series of Expert Group Meetings since the 24th Round of Boundary Talks in 2016, a joint press release issued by the Bhutanese Foreign Ministry said. During the talks, the two leaders of the delegations signed the Cooperation Agreement between Bhutan and China on the Responsibilities and Functions of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) on the Delimitation and Demarcation of the Bhutan-China Boundary, it said. The JTT was established during the 13th Expert Group Meeting to assist the Expert Group in the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Three-Step Roadmap. The two sides agreed to continue working together to simultaneously push forward the implementation of all the steps of the Three-Step Roadmap, it said, adding that both sides agreed to build on the positive momentum. The discussions were held in a warm and friendly atmosphere in keeping with the ties of friendship and cooperation between Bhutan and China. The two sides also exchanged views on enhancing bilateral relations and matters of mutual interest, the press release said. In his meeting with Dorji, Han said both sides agreed to accelerate the boundary demarcation process and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Han said that China and Bhutan are friendly neighbours and although the two countries have not yet established diplomatic relations, they have long maintained friendly exchanges. "China always respects Bhutan's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and is willing to strengthen exchanges at all levels and in all fields, expand practical cooperation on the economy, trade, culture and tourism, and accelerate the boundary demarcation process and the establishment of diplomatic relations with Bhutan to bring more benefits to the two countries and the two peoples," Han said. For his part, Dorji told Han that the Bhutanese government attaches great importance to the development of relations with China and abides firmly by the one-China principle. Both sides have firm determination and a sincere desire to demarcate their boundaries and establish diplomatic relations at an early date, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Wang told Dorji that the restoration of diplomatic ties will serve the long-term interests of both countries, a Chinese Foreign Ministry press release here said. “The conclusion of boundary negotiations and the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bhutan fully serve the long-term and fundamental interests of the country and nation of Bhutan," Wang said. China is ready to work with Bhutan in the same direction, seize the historic opportunity, complete this important process as soon as possible, and fix and develop China-Bhutan friendly relations in legal form," Wang, also a member of the powerful Political Bureau of the ruling Communist Party, told Dorji. The Chinese Foreign Ministry press release quoted Dorji as saying that Bhutan firmly abides by the one-China principle meaning Taiwan and Tibet are part of China and stands ready to work with China for an early settlement of the boundary issue and advance the political process of establishing diplomatic relations. China and Bhutan do not have diplomatic relations but maintain contact through periodic visits by officials. While Beijing resolved the boundary disputes with the 12 other neighbours, India and Bhutan are the only two countries China has yet to sign the border agreements. China in recent years stepped up efforts to establish full-fledged diplomatic ties with Bhutan and to expedite negotiations to reach a settlement for the vexed border dispute which was complicated by Beijing's attempts to claim Doklam despite Thimphu's assertions that the area belonged to it. China's attempts to build a road in the Doklam plateau in 2017 resulted in an India-China stand-off triggering tensions between the two neighbours. India strongly opposed the construction of the road by the Chinese military at the Doklam tri-junction as it would have impacted its overall security interests since it runs close to the narrow Siliguri Corridor also known as the Chicken Neck connecting India with its north-east. The standoff ended after Beijing dropped its plan to build the road. Also in 2020, China made a surprising claim on Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council by opposing funding for the project. Bhutan has lodged a demarche to the Chinese Embassy in India over China's claim over the sanctuary made at the GEF meeting. China has also ramped up efforts to develop the villages located along borders with India Bhutan and Nepal with infrastructure development and preferential policies. Beijing and Thimphu held their 13th Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the Bhutan-China Boundary issues in Beijing in August this year. Dorji's current visit to Beijing comes in the backdrop of remarks by Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering in March this year that Bhutan hopes to complete the demarcation of territories with China within one or two meetings. "We do not encounter major border problems with China, but certain territories are not yet demarcated. We still have to discuss it and draw a line," Dr Tshering told Belgian newspaper La Libre in an interview published during his visit to Brussels in March this year. As Tshering's remarks raised concerns in India considering the close ties, Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck visited New Delhi in April and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which the two leaders resolved to expand the close ties between the countries. Briefing the media on the talks between Prime Minister Modi and Bhutan King, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the two countries share ties characterised by trust, goodwill, and mutual understanding. India and Bhutan remain in close touch relating to our shared interest, including security interest, he said. After his interview stoked controversy, Tshering told The Bhutanese newspaper that he had said nothing new in his statements to the Belgian paper on Doklam and the Bhutan-China boundary talks. "I have said nothing new and there is no change in position," he said. In his talks with Dorji on Monday, Wang also said China always prioritises neighbourhood diplomacy in its overall diplomacy and adheres to the principle that all countries, big or small, are equals. The Chinese press release also said Dorji expressed Thimphu's backing for President Xi Jinping's Global Security Initiative (GSI), the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Cultural Initiative (GCI) to further Beijing's strategic initiatives. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China and Bhutan hold border talks, ink pact on JTT for delimitation, demarcation of boundary

India and Bangladesh will hold biannual talks between their border guarding forces in Delhi from June 11 during which the two sides are expected to discuss a host of issues related to combating cross-frontier crimes and measures to create better synergy.

A 15-member delegation of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), led by its director general (DG) Major General AKM Nazmul Hasan, landed in Delhi on Saturday. Border Security Force (BSF) DG Sujoy Lal Thaosen and senior officers of the force welcomed them at the airport, officials said.

The four-day talks will conclude on June 14 at a BSF camp in southwest Delhi's Chhawla area.

"The conference is being organised to discuss the border-related issues and for better coordination between both border guarding forces."

"Discussions will be held on how to jointly curb the various trans-border crimes and timely sharing of information between both the border guarding forces," a BSF spokesperson said in a statement.

Further, there will be deliberations on developmental and infrastructural works, joint efforts for effective implementation of Co-ordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) and Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), the spokesperson said.

This will be the 53rd edition of the talks and the last such meeting was held in July last year when the BSF delegation travelled to Dhaka.

The BSF guards the 4,096-km-long international border with Bangladesh on India's eastern flank. 
These talks were held annually between 1975 and 1992 but they were made biannual in 1993 with either side alternately travelling to the national capitals of New Delhi and Dhaka.

A senior BSF officer had earlier told PTI that the relations between the two countries and their border forces are very good and the conference is expected to enhance these ties. A 'joint record of discussions' will be signed by the two sides at the end of the conference.

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India and Bangladesh will hold biannual talks between their border guarding forces in Delhi from June 11 during which the two sides are expected to discuss a host of issues related to combating cross-frontier crimes and measures to create better synergy.

India and Bangladesh will hold biannual talks between their border guarding forces in Delhi from June 11 during which the two sides are expected to discuss a host of issues related to combating cross-frontier crimes and measures to create better synergy. A 15-member delegation of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), led by its director general (DG) Major General AKM Nazmul Hasan, landed in Delhi on Saturday. Border Security Force (BSF) DG Sujoy Lal Thaosen and senior officers of the force welcomed them at the airport, officials said. The four-day talks will conclude on June 14 at a BSF camp in southwest Delhi's Chhawla area. "The conference is being organised to discuss the border-related issues and for better coordination between both border guarding forces." "Discussions will be held on how to jointly curb the various trans-border crimes and timely sharing of information between both the border guarding forces," a BSF spokesperson said in a statement. Further, there will be deliberations on developmental and infrastructural works, joint efforts for effective implementation of Co-ordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) and Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), the spokesperson said. This will be the 53rd edition of the talks and the last such meeting was held in July last year when the BSF delegation travelled to Dhaka. The BSF guards the 4,096-km-long international border with Bangladesh on India's eastern flank. These talks were held annually between 1975 and 1992 but they were made biannual in 1993 with either side alternately travelling to the national capitals of New Delhi and Dhaka. A senior BSF officer had earlier told PTI that the relations between the two countries and their border forces are very good and the conference is expected to enhance these ties. A 'joint record of discussions' will be signed by the two sides at the end of the conference. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India-Bangladesh border talks to begin in Delhi from Sunday

There was no breakthrough in the 14th round of talks between the militaries of India and China, and the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels to work out a "mutually acceptable resolution" of the remaining issues.

The two sides said in a joint statement on Thursday that they have agreed that the next round of border talks should be held at the earliest. 
Indian Army Chief General M M Naravane had said on Wednesday that India was hopeful of resolving issues related to disengagement at Patrolling Point 15 (Hot Springs) in eastern Ladakh in the 14th round of talks.

The latest round of talks took place days after India hit out at China for building a bridge across Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh and said it is in an area that has been under illegal occupation of that country for around 60 years.

The 14th round of Corps Commander-level meeting was held on Wednesday at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

The joint statement said that the representatives from the defence and foreign affairs establishments of the two sides were present at the talks.

There was a "frank and in-depth" exchange of views for the resolution of the relevant issues related to the LAC in the western sector (Ladakh border), it said. 
The two countries agreed that both of them should follow "the guidance provided by the state leaders" and work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest, according to the statement.

"It was noted that this would help in restoration of peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the Western Sector and enable progress in bilateral relations," it mentioned.

The two countries also agreed to consolidate on the previous outcomes and take effective efforts to maintain the security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector including during winter, it said.

"The two sides agreed to stay in close contact and maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest," it mentioned.

The two sides agreed that the next round of the commanders' talks should be held at the earliest, the statement said.

Along with Hot Springs, India has been talking with China about a quick disengagement on all the remaining friction points including resolution of issues in Depsang Bulge and Demchok.

Last week, India described China's renaming of some places in Arunachal Pradesh as a "ridiculous exercise" to support "untenable territorial" claims, asserting that the state has always been and will always remain an "inalienable" part of India.

In their virtual diplomatic talks on November 18 last year, India and China had agreed to hold the 14th round of military talks at an early date to achieve the objective of complete disengagement in remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh.

The 13th round of talks had taken place on October 10 last year and it had ended in a stalemate with the Indian Army saying after the dialogue that the "constructive suggestions" made by it were neither agreeable to the Chinese side nor it could provide any "forward-looking" proposals.

The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area.

Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector.&nbsp;

There was no breakthrough in the 14th round of talks between the militaries of India and China, and the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels to work out a "mutually acceptable resolution" of the remaining issues.

There was no breakthrough in the 14th round of talks between the militaries of India and China, and the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels to work out a "mutually acceptable resolution" of the remaining issues. The two sides said in a joint statement on Thursday that they have agreed that the next round of border talks should be held at the earliest. Indian Army Chief General M M Naravane had said on Wednesday that India was hopeful of resolving issues related to disengagement at Patrolling Point 15 (Hot Springs) in eastern Ladakh in the 14th round of talks. The latest round of talks took place days after India hit out at China for building a bridge across Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh and said it is in an area that has been under illegal occupation of that country for around 60 years. The 14th round of Corps Commander-level meeting was held on Wednesday at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The joint statement said that the representatives from the defence and foreign affairs establishments of the two sides were present at the talks. There was a "frank and in-depth" exchange of views for the resolution of the relevant issues related to the LAC in the western sector (Ladakh border), it said. The two countries agreed that both of them should follow "the guidance provided by the state leaders" and work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest, according to the statement. "It was noted that this would help in restoration of peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the Western Sector and enable progress in bilateral relations," it mentioned. The two countries also agreed to consolidate on the previous outcomes and take effective efforts to maintain the security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector including during winter, it said. "The two sides agreed to stay in close contact and maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest," it mentioned. The two sides agreed that the next round of the commanders' talks should be held at the earliest, the statement said. Along with Hot Springs, India has been talking with China about a quick disengagement on all the remaining friction points including resolution of issues in Depsang Bulge and Demchok. Last week, India described China's renaming of some places in Arunachal Pradesh as a "ridiculous exercise" to support "untenable territorial" claims, asserting that the state has always been and will always remain an "inalienable" part of India. In their virtual diplomatic talks on November 18 last year, India and China had agreed to hold the 14th round of military talks at an early date to achieve the objective of complete disengagement in remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh. The 13th round of talks had taken place on October 10 last year and it had ended in a stalemate with the Indian Army saying after the dialogue that the "constructive suggestions" made by it were neither agreeable to the Chinese side nor it could provide any "forward-looking" proposals. The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area. Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry. As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area. Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector.

14th round of India-China border talks end with no breakthrough, both sides agree to meet soon

The 21st round of India-China border talks led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be held in China next month, informed sources said here.

Both Doval and Wang are designated special representatives for the border talks scheduled for November 23-25.

This will be the first round of talks for Wang who earlier this year succeeded Yang Jiechi as state councillor in a reshuffle.

While the dates have been finalised, the venue for the talks, which are expected to held outside Beijing, is yet to be finalised, the sources told PTI.

Special Representatives' talks are regarded as highly significant by both countries as they cover all aspects of bilateral relations besides making efforts to resolve the border dispute.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488 km Line of Actual Control (LAC). China also claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.

Officials on both sides maintain that though a solution to the border dispute still eludes the two countries, a lot of headway has been made in the 20 rounds of talks so far in terms of working out mechanisms to restore peace and tranquillity along the border to resolve tensions due to aggressive patrolling by troops.

The last round of talks which was held in New Delhi between Doval and Yang took place in the immediate backdrop of last year's 73-day standoff between the two militaries at Dokalam over the Chinese military's plan to build a road close to India's strategic Chicken's Neck corridor that connects the northeastern states.

The standoff ended after the People's Liberation Army(PLA) halted plans to build the road.

The meeting between Doval and Yang also prepared the ground for the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at Wuhan in April this year, which resulted not only in normalisation of relations but gave a new fillip to the improvement of relations in all spheres of relations notwithstanding the border dispute.

Since then both countries have held several rounds of talks to enhance India's exports to China to reduce the USD 51 billion trade deficit as well as improving military-to-military relations.

Indian Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale said last month at a meeting here that India-China military exchanges grew rapidly after the Wuhan summit.

Since then military commanders from both sides are now talking to each other more frankly and more candidly than ever before, he said.

Chinese Defence Minister Gen Wei Fenghe had visited India in August, met Modi and held talks with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman.

The Chinese defence ministry said after Wei's visit that both countries are discussing a new version of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence exchanges and cooperation to improve on the 2006 agreement besides establishing a direct confidential phone line between the two defence ministries and strengthening communications at all levels.

The 21st round of India-China border talks led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be held in China next month, informed sources said here.

The 21st round of India-China border talks led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be held in China next month, informed sources said here. Both Doval and Wang are designated special representatives for the border talks scheduled for November 23-25. This will be the first round of talks for Wang who earlier this year succeeded Yang Jiechi as state councillor in a reshuffle. While the dates have been finalised, the venue for the talks, which are expected to held outside Beijing, is yet to be finalised, the sources told PTI. Special Representatives' talks are regarded as highly significant by both countries as they cover all aspects of bilateral relations besides making efforts to resolve the border dispute. The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488 km Line of Actual Control (LAC). China also claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet. Officials on both sides maintain that though a solution to the border dispute still eludes the two countries, a lot of headway has been made in the 20 rounds of talks so far in terms of working out mechanisms to restore peace and tranquillity along the border to resolve tensions due to aggressive patrolling by troops. The last round of talks which was held in New Delhi between Doval and Yang took place in the immediate backdrop of last year's 73-day standoff between the two militaries at Dokalam over the Chinese military's plan to build a road close to India's strategic Chicken's Neck corridor that connects the northeastern states. The standoff ended after the People's Liberation Army(PLA) halted plans to build the road. The meeting between Doval and Yang also prepared the ground for the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at Wuhan in April this year, which resulted not only in normalisation of relations but gave a new fillip to the improvement of relations in all spheres of relations notwithstanding the border dispute. Since then both countries have held several rounds of talks to enhance India's exports to China to reduce the USD 51 billion trade deficit as well as improving military-to-military relations. Indian Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale said last month at a meeting here that India-China military exchanges grew rapidly after the Wuhan summit. Since then military commanders from both sides are now talking to each other more frankly and more candidly than ever before, he said. Chinese Defence Minister Gen Wei Fenghe had visited India in August, met Modi and held talks with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman. The Chinese defence ministry said after Wei's visit that both countries are discussing a new version of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence exchanges and cooperation to improve on the 2006 agreement besides establishing a direct confidential phone line between the two defence ministries and strengthening communications at all levels.

India, China to hold 21st round of border talks next month

India and China will hold the next round of border talks here on Friday, the first after the 73-day-long military standoff between the two countries in Doklam in summer months.

Issuing a brief statement today, the external affairs ministry said at the invitation of Ajit Doval, the National Security Adviser and the Special Representative on the boundary question, Yang Jiechi, State Councillor and China&#39;s Special Representative on the issue will visit India on December 22 to hold the 20th SR-level meeting.

Ahead of the talks, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing that this SR meeting is not only a high-level channel for the border issue discussion but also the platform for strategic communication.

&quot;In 2017, China-India relations have maintained a good momentum generally but the Dokalam incident posed a major test for the two countries. We should learn lessons from this incident to avoid any further conflict of this kind in the future,&quot; Hua said. 
Chinese and Indian troops were locked in the border standoff from June 16 when Indian soldiers stopped Chinese personnel from building a key road close to India&#39;s &#39;chicken&#39;s neck&#39; corridor.

On August 28, India announced the &quot;disengagement&quot; between the soldiers of the two countries.

The road was being built by China in an area also claimed by Bhutan.&nbsp;

The talks will be held in Delhi on Friday

India and China will hold the next round of border talks here on Friday, the first after the 73-day-long military standoff between the two countries in Doklam in summer months. Issuing a brief statement today, the external affairs ministry said at the invitation of Ajit Doval, the National Security Adviser and the Special Representative on the boundary question, Yang Jiechi, State Councillor and China's Special Representative on the issue will visit India on December 22 to hold the 20th SR-level meeting. Ahead of the talks, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing that this SR meeting is not only a high-level channel for the border issue discussion but also the platform for strategic communication. "In 2017, China-India relations have maintained a good momentum generally but the Dokalam incident posed a major test for the two countries. We should learn lessons from this incident to avoid any further conflict of this kind in the future," Hua said. Chinese and Indian troops were locked in the border standoff from June 16 when Indian soldiers stopped Chinese personnel from building a key road close to India's 'chicken's neck' corridor. On August 28, India announced the "disengagement" between the soldiers of the two countries. The road was being built by China in an area also claimed by Bhutan.

India, China to hold first border talks after Doklam

India&#39;s home minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday (July 28) met his Bangladeshi counterpart Asaduzzaman Khan in New Delhi and signed an amendment to the Bilateral Extradition Treaty. 
 
The amendment to Article 10(3) of the treaty will enable both countries to deport an accused if a trial court has issued a warrant against the person. The treaty earlier allowed deportation only after verifying evidence against the accused. 
 
The two ministers also decided to increase cooperation in issues including militancy and narcotics, among others. 
 
&quot;The amendments on our discussions have been signed. We discussed issues of militancy. We held talks to fight against all sorts of militancy. We also discussed border issues. We were assured that India will always be with Bangladesh. We also discussed issues on narcotics,&quot; said Khan. 
 
Earlier in the day, Khan called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the capital. 
 
The Bangladesh delegation led by Khan arrived in the national capital on Wednesday (July 27). 
 
Bangladesh and India share a 4,096-kilometer (2,545-mile)-long international border with five Indian states - Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and West Bengal. 
 
The migration of tens of thousands of people from Bangladesh into India has long been a sensitive issue in India. 
 
(Reuters) 
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The amendment to the treaty will enable both countries to deport an accused if a trial court has issued a warrant against the person

India's home minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday (July 28) met his Bangladeshi counterpart Asaduzzaman Khan in New Delhi and signed an amendment to the Bilateral Extradition Treaty. The amendment to Article 10(3) of the treaty will enable both countries to deport an accused if a trial court has issued a warrant against the person. The treaty earlier allowed deportation only after verifying evidence against the accused. The two ministers also decided to increase cooperation in issues including militancy and narcotics, among others. "The amendments on our discussions have been signed. We discussed issues of militancy. We held talks to fight against all sorts of militancy. We also discussed border issues. We were assured that India will always be with Bangladesh. We also discussed issues on narcotics," said Khan. Earlier in the day, Khan called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the capital. The Bangladesh delegation led by Khan arrived in the national capital on Wednesday (July 27). Bangladesh and India share a 4,096-kilometer (2,545-mile)-long international border with five Indian states - Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and West Bengal. The migration of tens of thousands of people from Bangladesh into India has long been a sensitive issue in India. (Reuters)

India, Bangladesh sign amendment to extradition treaty

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