‘Seen difficult time, now want to move ahead': Jaishankar at meeting with Wang
Besides discussing economic and trade issues, river data sharing, border trade, connectivity and bilateral exchanges at a meeting with visiting Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, Jaishankar brought up 'particular concerns' he had raised at his last meeting with his counterpart in Beijing in July.
Wang, who is on a two-day visit for talks with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval under the Special Representatives mechanism on Tuesday, is the first Chinese minister to travel to India since the two sides reached an understanding last October to end the military standoff on the LAC that began in April-May 2020. The face-off and a brutal clash in Galwan Valley in June 2020 took bilateral ties to a six-decade low.
'Having seen a difficult period in our relationship…our two nations now seek to move ahead. This requires a candid and constructive approach on both sides. In that endeavour, we must be guided by the three mutuals – mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interest,' Jaishankar said at the start of his meeting with Wang.
Noting that Wang will discuss border issues with Doval on Tuesday, Jaishankar said: 'This is very important because the basis for any positive momentum in our ties is the ability to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas. It is also essential that the de-escalation process move forward.'
Doval and Wang are the designated Special Representatives for the border issue, and this is the highest bilateral mechanism for addressing the long-standing border dispute between India and China. Two days after the understanding on ending the face-off on the LAC, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met in the Russian city of Kazan and agreed to revive several mechanisms to normalise bilateral relations and address the border dispute.
Jaishankar said differences between India and China 'must not become disputes' and competition should not lead to conflict. Besides discussing economic and trade issues, river data sharing, border trade, connectivity, bilateral exchanges, pilgrimages and people-to-people contacts, he said he would 'follow up on some particular concerns' that he brought up with Wang during a visit to China in July.
At that earlier meeting, Jaishankar had said the two sides should avoid 'restrictive trade measures and roadblocks' to economic cooperation. He was apparently referring to China's curbs on exports of rare earth minerals – used in everything from smartphones to electric vehicles and in many of which Beijing has a near monopoly – and fertilisers. The restrictions on rare earth exports have impacted manufacturers of electric vehicles.
Jaishankar also referred to the fight against all forms of terrorism as a 'major priority' for India and said the discussions will contribute to building a 'stable, cooperative and forward-looking relationship' with China that serves the interests of both sides and addresses each other's concerns.
He added that India and China seek a fair, balanced and multipolar world order, including a multipolar Asia. 'Reformed multilateralism is also the call of the day. In the current environment, there is clearly the imperative of maintaining and enhancing stability in the global economy as well,' he said.
Wang said the 'shared confidence' between the two sides has helped 'dispel interference, expand cooperation and further consolidate the momentum of improvement and development of China-India relations'. Both sides, he said, can 'contribute to each other's success and provide the most-needed certainty and stability to Asia and the world'.
In an apparent reference to the geopolitical and economic churn caused by the policies of the Donald Trump administration in the US, Wang said 'unilateralism is running rampant' and 'free trade and the international order are faced with severe challenges'. India and China, as the two largest developing countries with a combined population of more than 2.8 billion, should shoulder the responsibility of seeking 'strength and dignity' for developing countries and contribute to building a multipolar world, he said. Wang added that exchanges and dialogue at all levels between the two sides have maintained peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
The thaw in bilateral relations has led to India and China resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to the Tibet region after a gap of five years. India has also resumed tourist visas for Chinese nationals for the first time since 2020 and the two sides are in advanced negotiations to resume direct flights and border trade.
Following the Special Representatives' talks on Tuesday, Wang will meet Prime Minister Modi. The meeting assumes significance as Modi is expected to travel to China for the first time since the start of the face-off on the LAC to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1. Modi is also expected to have a bilateral meeting with Xi on the margins of the summit.
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