Amid keenness on both sides to expedite resolution of the boundary dispute, special representatives of India and China on Wednesday held detailed discussions on the vexed issue that has been nagging relations for decades.
At the two-day talks, which will conclude on Thursday, the Indian side is represented by National Security Adviser M K Narayanan while the Chinese side is represented by Dai Bingguo.
The discussions went well, and the two sides discussed how the differences can be narrowed down, sources said.
The two sides are understood to have deliberated on the delineation of the Line of Actual Control on their respective maps.
The ninth round of talks between special representatives comes about two months after Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to New Delhi during which the two sides underlined that early settlement of the dispute would be beneficial for both countries.
"An early settlement of the boundary question will advance the basic interests of the two countries and shall, therefore, be pursued as a strategic objective," a Joint Declaration issued during Hu's visit had said.
It said the special representatives shall complete at an early date the task of finalising an appropriate framework for a final package settlement covering all sectors of the India-China boundary.
It was also agreed by both sides to complete the process of exchanging maps indicating their respective perceptions of the entire alignment of the LAC on the basis of already agreed parameters as soon as possible, the declaration said.
The keenness to move forward expeditiously to resolve their boundary problem was also clear when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Philippines last week.
They said the special representatives had been directed to carry out their task with "greater vigour and greater innovativeness".
Wen's explanation that the boundary problem is one that can be resolved and "we would be willing to solve it" was endorsed by Dr Singh.
The two SRs have been directed to intensify their work to expeditiously explore the framework of a boundary settlement on the basis of the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles signed in April 2006.
Ahead of the talks, Beijing on Tuesday hoped that the two sides could achieve "further progress" on the vexed dispute based on the political guiding principles and consensus reached in 2005.
"Both sides will further explore the solution of the boundary issue under the principles of political guidance and on the basis of the spirit of peace, friendship, equal consultations, mutual respect and mutual understanding," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao said.