BEIJING: India's Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale has held "candid" discussions with influential Chinese scholars from leading state-run think-tanks as part of efforts by both the countries to reset their ties after the Dokalam standoff.
Bambawale, who has been meeting number of top Chinese ministers and officials since he took charge in December, visited Pangoal Institution in Beijing and participated in a roundtable discussion yesterday with Chinese scholars on the 'Prospects of India-China relations'.
He delivered a keynote address and held "candid" discussions with the Chinese scholars on various aspects of India-China relations, the Indian Embassy said in a statement today.
Noted Chinese scholars on India studies from prominent think-tanks such as Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, China Institute of International Studies and researchers from Tsinghua, Fudan University and Sichuan University participated in the discussion, it said.
State sponsored think-tanks play influential role in China shaping its foreign policy.
After the 73-day standoff at Dokalam which was resolved on August 28 last year both the countries have stepped up contacts to revive the ties.
Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi visited New Delhi followed by top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi who took part in the 20th round of border talks between the two countries with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.
Last year marked a new low in India-China ties with issues like China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, China's repeated attempts to block India's bid join the Nuclear Suppliers Group and efforts to get leader of the Jaish-e-Muhammad leader, Massood Azhar designated as terrorist by the UN.
The series of meeting at various levels currently underway between the two countries were aimed at reset the relations back on and to track avert a further downturn in the bilateral ties, officials said.