The next round of boundary talks between the special representatives of India and China will be held here from September 24 to 26, it was announced in Beijing on Friday.
The 11th round of the China-India boundary talks between the two special representatives - National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo - will take place in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu told reporters.
The dates for the new round of boundary talks were apparently decided during the meetings foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon had this morning with senior Chinese foreign ministry officials.
Jiang said Menon called on Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and held talks with assistant foreign minister He Yafei. He is also scheduled to meet State Councillor, Tang Jiaxuan during his stay in Beijing.
"China will make efforts with India to seek a fair and reasonable solution acceptable to the two parties according to the relevant principles in this regard," the spokesperson said.
The 10th round of talks between the Narayanan and Dai was held in New Delhi and Coonoor from April 20-22 this year during which the two sides continued their discussions on a framework for the boundary settlement on the basis of the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles reached in 2005.
Beijing and New Delhi in June 2003 appointed special representatives to address the border issue from a political perspective of the overall bilateral relations.
India says China is illegally occupying 43,180 sq km of Jammu and Kashmir, including 5,180 sq km illegally ceded to Beijing by Islamabad under the Sino-Pakistan boundary agreement in 1963. On the other hand, China accuses India of possessing some 90,000 sq km of its territory, mostly in Arunachal Pradesh.
About Menon's meetings with Yang and He, the spokesperson said the two sides exchanged ideas on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common interests.
The two sides made positive comments on the development of the bilateral ties as well as the positive improvement in this regard, she said.
Jiang did not refer to talks on the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal or the possible dates for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's planned visit to China later this year.
Menon was expected to discuss the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal with his Chinese interlocutors and seek Beijing's support when the agreement comes up for approval at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
"The two sides expressed will to strengthen the cooperation and contacts in various fields so as to promote the long-term and in-depth development of the bilateral relations," Jiang said.
China also welcomed the recent statement made by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Bangkok, Thailand.
Mukherjee had described India's relationship with China as an "important determinant" for regional and global peace and said the country sought all-round development of ties with Beijing without allowing outstanding differences, including the boundary question, to define the agenda.
"We have taken note of the remarks made by Foreign Minister Mukherjee and we make positive comments on that. We will make joint efforts with India to help the moving forward of the China-India strategic partnership," Jiang said.
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