China today said that the Dokalam standoff posed a “major test” for the bilateral ties and lessons should be learnt from it to avoid a similar situation of its kind in the future.
The comment came ahead of the 20th round of India-China border talks which are expected to be held this week in New Delhi between National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and China’s State Councillor Yang Jiechi who are designated Special Representatives.
Though the talks are scheduled for December 22, an official announcement has not been made yet from both sides.
The two sides attach significance to this round of talks as it would be the first round of talks since the 73-day Dokalam standoff in the Sikkim section which ended on August 28.
“This Special Representative meeting is not only a high- level channel for the border issue discussion but also the platform for strategic communication,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here today.
This also allows the two sides to exchange views on the international and regional issues of major concern, she said.
