External Affairs Minister S.K. Jaishankar spoke to Chinese counterpart Qin Gang. Photo Credit: AP
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who visited India, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar called on India to view the ties in the context of “once-in-a-century changes in the world” and put the border issue “in its proper place”, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
In Thursday’s talks in New DelhiMr Jaishankar had characterized the “abnormal” state of relations and reiterated India’s position that restoration of peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was essential for normalcy to return.
Meanwhile, the Chinese side has sought to delink the border from the rest of the relationship, even as the Indian military moves closer to meeting what it sees as unacceptable demands in the long-running talks. dragged on for three years. LAC disengagement process.
Mr. Qin, in what is his first visit to India as foreign minister for the G-20 meeting, said that China “supports the Indian side in fulfilling its chairmanship of the G-20 and will continue to strengthen communication and Ready to strengthen cooperation. interests of developing countries and international equity and justice, so as to inject stability and positive energy into the world”.
On bilateral ties, he said the two sides should “view their bilateral relations in the context of once-in-a-century changes in the world, understand bilateral cooperation from the perspective of their respective national rejuvenation, and become partners along the way”. ” modernisation,” a foreign ministry statement in Beijing quoted him as saying.
“As neighbors and major emerging economies, China and India have far more common interests than differences,” he said. “The development and revitalization of China and India demonstrate the power of developing countries, which will transform the future of Asia and even the whole world, home to a third of the world’s population. The two sides should implement the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries, maintain dialogue and properly resolve disputes, and continuously improve bilateral relations and promote relations.
The border, and China’s transgressions starting in April 2020, remain a sticking point. Mr. Qin reiterated the Chinese position that “the boundary issue should be placed in its proper place in bilateral relations” and that “the situation on the borders should be brought under normal management as soon as possible.”
He said China is ready to “restart exchanges and cooperation with India in various fields, resume direct flights as soon as possible, and facilitate people-to-people exchanges.” Flights have been suspended since the beginning of 2020 and the start of the pandemic.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said at a press conference on Thursday that he had discussed the “unusual” current state of relations with Mr. , The Chinese statement quoted Mr Jaishankar as having “agreed that bilateral relations should be understood and improved from the historical perspective and strategic height.”
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had not issued any statement on the talks early Friday.
Last week, both sides held its first individual high-level boundary talks In more than three years, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs Shilpak Ambule is traveling to Beijing for the 26th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC). The two sides discussed proposals for disengagement in the two remaining friction areas to create conditions for “restoring normalcy” in relations, and agreed to hold the next round of talks between senior military commanders at the earliest.