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‘As neighbouring nations…’: In Beijing, Jaishankar's push for dialogue between India, China
S Jaishankar is currently in China. His visit comes five years after India-China ties nosedived in 2020 after the Galwan clash.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said it was “very important” for India and China to have an exchange of views and perspectives as neighbouring nations.
His remarks came during an address in Beijing, his first visit to China since bilateral ties plummeted in 2020 after Galwan clash along the Line of Actual Control.
Five years on, Jaishankar has urged dialogue and a continued normalisation of ties between India and China, saying only doing so can produce "mutually beneficial outcomes".
"The international situation, as we meet today, is very complex. As neighbouring nations and major economies, an open exchange of views and perspectives between India and China is very important. I look forward to such discussions during this visit," Jaishankar said.
Jaishankar also referenced the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to the Tibet region after a gap of five years, saying the move is widely appreciated in India.
The yatra, a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in Tibet Autonomous Region, had been suspended since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and later due to the souring of ties between India and China.
His remarks came during a meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing.
Jaishankar also noted that tensions have been easing and ties have been improving between India and China since a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a summit in Kazan in October 2024.
"I am confident that my discussions in this visit will maintain that positive trajectory, " said Jaishankar.
It was after the meeting between PM Modi and Jinping in Kazan last year that the disengagement of troops from Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh began.
Jaishankar's visit to China follows visits by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in June.
While in China, Jaishankar will not only hold bilateral talks with his counterpart Wang Yi, but will also attend a meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers' in Tianjin.
