India and China held a crucial round of negotiations in Beijing [Images] on Wednesday to find a 'mutually acceptable solution and formulate the guiding principles' to solve the vexed boundary issue.

Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran met Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Wu Dawei and held in-depth talks during the revived meeting of the Joint Working Group. Details of the talks were not available.

Official sources, however, said the discussions were expected to cover political parameters and guiding principles for the settlement of the India-China boundary dispute, measures to strengthen the constructive and cooperative partnership between the two countries taking into account the overall global and strategic perspective of the bilateral relationship, and other issues of mutual interest and concern.

Saran also called on Chinese State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan who oversees Chinese foreign policy matters.

Apart from Saran, the Indian delegation includes Indian Ambassador to China Nalin Surie, and Joint Secretary (East Asia) Ashok Kantha, besides other senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs.

Saran is expected to meet China's Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on Thursday before winding up the visit, which comes days ahead of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's maiden visit to India.

Besides the boundary issue, the JWG is also empowered to deal with other bilateral issues. Thus, both Saran and Wu will use the opportunity to finalise some of the bilateral agreements to be signed during Wen's visit, official sources said.

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