Wang Yi is China s key negotiator on border talks with India

Beijing March 19 (IANS) China s Foreign Minister Wang Yi will now be its key negotiator with India on the vexed border issue after Beijing promoted him to the post of State Councillor the country s top diplomat it was announced on Monday.

Wang succeeds Yang Jiechi China s senior-most diplomat who until now was the country s Special Representative on border talks with India.

He will also remain the Foreign Minister. The decision was taken at the ongoing annual session of China s parliament.

Wang will talk to India s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval who is its Special Representative on boundary talks.

China and India by far have held 20 rounds of talks on their 3 448-km disputed border. The countries fought a war in 1962 and have seen their armies cross into each other s territories due to the different perceptions of the boundary.

Wang repeatedly slammed India during the 73-day military stand-off at Doklam in the eastern sector of their border last year. The crisis was resolved in August.

Wang however struck a positive tone about Sino-India ties while addressing the media on the sidelines of China s annual parliament session.

Wang said if China and India were united then one plus will be equivalent to 11 a remark welcomed by India and answered in the similar tone.

India s Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale last month met Wang who had a meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Wang had previously served as China s envoy to Japan and worked at the Asia desk of the Chinese foreign ministry.

--IANS
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