Vientiane: As External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised the border conflict with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings, the latter emphasised that India and China should step up dialogue and communication and properly handle differences as the relations between the two neighbouring countries have an "important impact".
According to a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang said the two countries should take a "rational approach" to rise above differences and frictions to promote the improvement as well as stable and sustainable development of India-China relations. He said improving bilateral relations should reflect the strategic vision of China and India as two major emerging and developing countries.
"It is hoped that the two sides will work together to actively explore the right way for the two big neighbours to get along with each other, and guide all communities to develop positive perceptions of each other. Wang Yi emphasised that a China-India relationship back on the right track serves the interests of both sides and meets the shared aspiration of countries of the 'Global South'," it read.
The two sides agreed to make concerted efforts to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas, and work for new progress in consultations on border affairs. They also indicated their readiness to strengthen communication within the framework of the East Asia cooperation platform, SCO, G20 and BRICS, and jointly practise multilateralism and uphold the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.
What did Jaishankar tell Wang Yi?
Meeting in the Laotian capital, Jaishankar emphasised the need to ensure "full respect" for the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and past agreements to "stabilise" and "rebuild" bilateral ties with Beijing as he met Wang Yi for the second time within a month. They also agreed on the need to give strong guidance to complete the disengagement process following the military standoff in eastern Ladakh in May 2020.
"Met with CPC Politburo member and FM Wang Yi in Vientiane today. Continued our ongoing discussions about our bilateral relationship. The state of the border will necessarily be reflected on the state of our ties," Jaishankar said in a post on X after meeting with Wang on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meetings here.
The Jaishankar-Wang talks came amid the dragging border row in eastern Ladakh that entered its fifth year in May. "Agreed on the need to give strong guidance to complete the disengagement process. Must ensure full respect for the LAC and past agreements. It is in our mutual interest to stabilise our ties. We should approach the immediate issues with a sense of purpose and urgency," Jaishankar added.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the meeting gave the two ministers an opportunity to review the situation since their last meeting at Astana on July 4. "Their talks focussed on finding an early resolution of the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to stabilise and rebuild bilateral relations," it said. "Both Ministers agreed on the need to work with purpose and urgency to achieve complete disengagement at the earliest. Peace and tranquillity on the borders and respect for LAC are essential for normalcy in bilateral relations," the MEA said.
Jaishankar-Wang Yi meeting in Kazakhstan
On July 4, the two leaders met in the Kazakh capital city of Astana on the sidelines of the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). During the meeting in Astana, Jaishankar reaffirmed India's persistent view that the relations between the two sides must be based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. The Indian and Chinese militaries have been locked in a standoff since May 2020 and a full resolution of the border row has not yet been achieved though the two sides have disengaged from a number of friction points.
The ties between the two countries nosedived significantly following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades. The two sides have so far held 21 rounds of Corps Commander-level talks to resolve the standoff. India has been pressing the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to disengage from the Depsang and Demchok areas. The two sides held the last round of high-level military talks in February. Though there was no indication of a breakthrough at the 21st round of talks, both sides agreed to maintain "peace and tranquillity" on the ground and continue the communication on the way ahead.
