S Jaishankar To Begin Three-Day China Visit On July 13: What's On Agenda?
External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar will visit China on July 13 for the first time in over five years to attend the SCO foreign ministers' meeting and meet Wang Yi.
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will embark on a three-day visit to China on Sunday, July 13.
In his first trip to the neighbouring country in over five years, the union minister will participate in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and will hold bilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Jaishankar's visit comes two weeks after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the country for the SCO defence ministers' summit.
What's The Itinerary?
The EAM will first visit to capital city of Beijing where he will hold a couple of meetings with various officials and stakeholders. He will also hold a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing.
Following high-level talks in the Chinese capital, Jaishankar will proceed to Tianjin to attend the SCO council of foreign ministers, taking place on July 14–15.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry noted that foreign ministers of SCO member states and heads of the bloc's permanent bodies 'will exchange views on SCO cooperation in various fields and major international and regional issues."
The SCO includes 10 members: China, Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.
PTI had reported earlier.
The Diplomatic Engagement
Before Jaishankar's visit to China, National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval visited China twice, once in December and once last month for SCO security meetings. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri visited China in January and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh went to China to attend SCO Defence Minister's Meeting.
The two nations have been making efforts to repair strained ties. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has resumed after a gap of five years. Both sides are also discussing resumption of direct flight.
On April 9, Jaishankar had said that India and China were moving towards a 'positive direction' in their ties. However, the minister said work needs to be done to normalise the relationship.
'I think we are moving in a positive direction," Jaishankar said at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit.
Diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries plunged after June 2020 when clashes between soldiers along the border left at least 20 Indian and an unknown number of Chinese troops dead. As the relations soured, the two countries moved thousands of troops, missiles and fighter jets along parts of the 3,488 kilometer (2,167 mile) unmarked border.
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July 12, 2025, 21:03 IST
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