New Delhi: On Wednesday, China and India took a significant step towards resolving their ongoing border dispute, as senior officials held their first formal talks in five years and pledged to work towards mutually agreeable solutions. The discussions, held in Beijing between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, followed a key agreement made two months earlier aimed at reducing military tensions along a disputed section of their border.

According to a statement from China’s foreign ministry, both sides reiterated their commitment to finding a fair and acceptable resolution to the dispute. They emphasized the importance of improving regular border management and control to ensure peace in the contested western Himalayan region.

Relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors have been severely strained since June 2020, when a violent clash in Galwan Valley resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops. This confrontation marked the deadliest escalation between the two nations since their brief 1962 war, which was also sparked by disputes along their nearly 3,500 km (2,175-mile) border, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Both parties stressed the need to establish stable conditions along the border, with India’s foreign ministry stating that they discussed various measures to maintain peace and improve border management, learning from the 2020 events.

In the four years since the Galwan clash, both countries have stationed tens of thousands of troops and significant military equipment near their contested border in Ladakh, turning it into a major flashpoint. Diplomatic tensions have also spilled over into other areas, with India restricting visa approvals for Chinese nationals, banning numerous Chinese apps, and tightening scrutiny of Chinese investments.

Wednesday's meeting was the first formal dialogue between the special representatives on border issues since late 2019. This renewed engagement followed an agreement in October to disengage troops at two key points of tension. Prior to this, Wang and Doval had met in September at a BRICS security summit in St. Petersburg, where they agreed to foster conditions for better relations. A month later, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in Russia, shortly after both sides reached an agreement to pull back troops and restore their positions to pre-2020 locations.