NEW DELHI — China and India agreed in New Delhi on Dec 21 to enhance mutual political trust so as to properly handle border issues and jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

At the 22nd meeting between Chinese and Indian special representatives on boundary issues, visiting Chinese special representative, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the annual meeting serves as a main channel for the two countries to discuss border issues, and it is also an important platform for the two sides to carry out strategic communication.

China and India should positively press forward the talks on border issues in accordance with the important instructions made by the leaders of the two countries, and work out the framework of the negotiation roadmap in a bid to reach a final solution which is fair, reasonable and accepted by both sides, Wang said.

In addition, both sides should also advance consultations which can yield early results, promote mutual trust and enhance cooperation in the border areas so as to jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border areas, Wang said.

The two countries should further strengthen communication and coordination, and jointly safeguard multilateralism, fairness and justice, Wang added.

Indian special representative and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval said Chinese and Indian leaders have provided a new vision and strategic guidance for the development of bilateral ties and the solution of boundary issues.

Both sides should comprehensively implement the important consensus reached by the two leaders, strengthen strategic communication, enhance political mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, solve the China-India boundary issues at an early date through dialogue and negotiation, so as to promote India-China relationship to gain further development.

The two sides exchanged views on the early harvest of boundary negotiations, reached consensus on strengthening trust measures, and agreed to make regulations on safeguarding peace and tranquillity in border areas, enhance communication and exchanges between the border troops of the two countries, as well as expand border trade and personnel exchanges.

The two sides also agreed to hold the 23rd Special Representatives' Meeting on the China-India Boundary Question next year in China.