Doval, Yang hold talks Amid Sikkim standoff

Amid the Sikkim standoff, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Thursday held talks with his Chinese Counterpart and State Councillor Yang Jiechi on the sidelines of the BRICS NSAS meeting here.

Yang met separately with senior security representatives from South Africa, Brazil and India, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Yang separately exchanged views with the three senior representatives on bilateral relations, international and regional issues and multilateral affairs, and set forth China’s position on bilateral issues and major problems, the report said, without giving further details.

Both Doval and Yang are Special Representatives of the India-china border mechanism.

Doval arrived here on Wednesday to take part in the two-day Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) NSAS meeting being hosted by Yang.

His visit has raised expectations about the likelihood of India and China finding a solution to the over a month-long standoff at Doklam area in the Sikkim sector.

Chinese and Indian troops have been locked in a face-off in the trijunction area for more than a month since Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the area.

China claimed that it was constructing the road within its territory. India protested the construction, fearing it would allow China to cut India’s access to its northeastern states.