Ajit Doval meets Chinese Counterpart Yang Jiechi amid Sikkim stand-off

Beijing: Amid the Sikkim stand-off between Indian Army and Chinese Army, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Thursday met Chinese Counterpart and State Councillor Yang Jiechi on the sidelines of the BRICS NSAs meeting here on Thursday.

The two met "separately" and exchanged views on bilateral relations.

It was immediately not known whether they discussed the border stand-off between the two armies that has entered its second month at Doklam on the Sikkim section of their border.

China's State Councillor Yang separately met senior security representatives from South Africa, Brazil and India and "set forth China's position on bilateral issues and major problems", Xinhua said.

Yang also separately exchanged views with the three senior representatives on "bilateral relations, international and regional issues and multilateral affairs, and set forth China's position on bilateral issues and major problems".

Also read: India-China border row has every element to lead to war: US expert

The stand-off between India and China at Doklam has become a major issue of contention, with some experts fearing it could lead to a war.

At the tri-junction of India, Bhutan and China, Doklam is of high strategic importance to all three. It is disputed by Bhutan and China.

India calls Doklam Bhutan's and perceives any Chinese presence in the area as a threat to its own security.

The genesis of the dispute lies in a road being built by the Chinese Army in Doklam. Indian troops halted the work in June, leading to the crisis.