China hints at bilateral meeting

China yesterday hinted that its top diplomat Yang Jiechi and Indian NSA Ajit Doval may hold a bilateral meeting this week on the sidelines of the Brics NSA Summit even as it urged New Delhi to give up “illusory thinking” and immediately withdraw its troops that Beijing says have crossed into Chinese territory.

The Foreign Ministry said that while it was not aware of a Yang-Doval meeting there was a tradition of host countries arranging bilaterals between the head of the delegations at the summit.

Beijing has so far ruled out any talks over the border row until India withdraws troops from Doklam in the Sikkim sector.

The two-day meeting of BRICS NSAs will begin on July 27.