India and China have reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility along the border as the two sides discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties during Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's visit to Beijing.
Speaking at a media briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said both countries acknowledged that peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas remain important to advance bilateral cooperation.
Misri is on a two-day visit to China from Monday and has held talks with several Chinese leaders, including Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying and Vice Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Sun Haiyan.
"The foreign secretary paid an official visit to China from 27th to 28th of July. He started his official engagements in Beijing with a meeting with Sun Haiyan, Vice Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China," Jaiswal said.
According to the EAM spokesperson, both sides reviewed bilateral ties in their entirety and discussed ways to advance the vision shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping that India and China are partners and development opportunities for each other.
The discussions covered mutually beneficial cooperation in trade and economic ties, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
"Both sides acknowledged the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas," Jaiswal said.
He added that Misri also met Hong Liang, Deputy Secretary General of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Li Wentang, Vice President of the Central Party School, the National Academy of Governance of the Communist Party of China. The two sides also discussed potential areas of future cooperation.
On the decision to resume border trade through Nathu La, Jaiswal said the move was part of an understanding reached last year.
"This is a matter which was agreed between the two sides last year. In August 2025, both sides agreed to the re-opening of border trade through the three designated trading points, namely Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La Pass and Nathu La Pass," he said.
The visit comes as India and China continue efforts to normalise ties following a series of diplomatic and military engagements. The two countries have withdrawn troops from several friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
In October 2024, the two sides finalised a disengagement agreement for Depsang and Demchok, the last two remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh.
Days after the agreement, Modi and Xi Jinping met in Kazan and took a number of decisions aimed at improving bilateral relations.
In August last year, Modi travelled to Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, where he held extensive talks with Xi and said India was committed to taking forward bilateral ties based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity.
—with agency inputs
