External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Monday that resolving border friction and maintaining peace are essential for building mutual trust between India and China.
The neighbours have made “good progress” over the last nine months for the normalisation of relations, he said, adding that it was key for restrictive trade measures and roadblocks to be avoided.
During his opening remarks at the meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Jaishankar noted that significant progress had been made over the past nine months in efforts to normalise bilateral ties.
He attributed this advancement to the resolution of certain border frictions and the ability of both nations to maintain peace and stability in those sensitive areas.
Restoring Mutual Trust
According to Jaishankar, this calm along the Line of Actual Control forms the foundation for restoring strategic trust and enabling the smooth development of overall India-China relations.
He emphasised that further steps were needed, particularly in addressing unresolved border issues and moving towards comprehensive de-escalation.
As two neighbouring powers and major global economies, Jaishankar highlighted the multifaceted nature of the bilateral relationship.
He pointed out that steps aimed at resuming people-to-people exchanges could help foster mutually beneficial cooperation.
In this context, he also stressed the importance of removing barriers to trade and avoiding restrictive economic measures. These, he said, would be discussed in greater detail during the visit.
75th Anniversary Of Diplomatic Ties
Jaishankar also acknowledged the significance of the year 2025, which marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and China.
He expressed appreciation for the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra after a five-year hiatus and thanked the Chinese authorities for facilitating it.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar held talks with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and conveyed India’s support for China’s ongoing presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
This visit marks Jaishankar’s first trip to China since diplomatic ties deteriorated following the deadly 2020 Galwan Valley clash. His visit also follows recent high-level engagements, including those of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who were in China in June for SCO-related meetings.
(With inputs from Reuters and IBNS)
