On first China visit in 5 years, EAM Jaishankar urges for stronger India-China ties – ‘as neighbouring nations’

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing on July 14. The Minister noted the improvement in bilateral ties and expressed confidence that discussions during his visit will maintain that positive trajectory.

During his meeting with Han Zheng, Jaishankar expressed India’s support for China’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Presidency. 

In his opening remarks at the meeting with Han, Jaishankar expressed confidence that discussions during his visit will maintain that positive trajectory. He also noted that the ties between the two nations have been improving since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan.

“India supports a successful Chinese presidency at the SCO. Excellency, our bilateral relationship, as you have pointed, has been steadily improving since the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan last October. I am confident that my discussions in this visit will maintain that positive trajectory,” Jaishankar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

This is Jaishankar’s first visit to China after the ties between the two neighbouring countries came under severe strain following the 2020 military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Jaishankar said  India and China have marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties and mentioned that the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is widely appreciated in India.

“Continued normalization of our ties can produce mutually beneficial outcomes,” he said.

Jaishankar also discussed the prevailing international situation in his remarks: “The international situation, as we meet today, Excellency, is very complex. As neighbouring nations and major economies, an open exchange of views and perspectives between India and China is very important. I look forward to such discussions during this visit.”

Jaishankar arrived in China after concluding his visit to Singapore, his first trip to China in five years. He is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, for a bilateral meeting on Monday.

Jaishankar and Wang Yi last met in February on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Johannesburg, where both sides echoed calls for mutual trust and support.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said later, “Pleased to meet Vice President Han Zheng soon after my arrival in Beijing today. Conveyed India’s support for China’s SCO Presidency. Noted the improvement in our bilateral ties. And expressed confidence that discussions during my visit will maintain that positive trajectory.”

Jaishankar will also attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Tianjin on July 15. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that “EAM will visit the People’s Republic of China to participate in the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (CFM) being held in Tianjin. EAM will also hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the CFM.”

Jaishankar’s visit follows those of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, whotravelled to China in June for the SCO meetings.

Wang Yi is also expected to visit India next month to meet NSA Ajit Doval — part of a planned round of dialogue under the Special Representatives (SR) mechanism aimed at resolving the decades-old boundary dispute.

The 2020 Galwan Valley standoff between India and China was the worst border clash in over 40 years, resulting in the death of soldiers on both sides. The incident sharply escalated tensions and brought bilateral ties to a historic low.

The decision to revive the SR dialogue and other dormant channels was reportedly taken during a brief exchange between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a summit in Kazan, Russia, in October last year. There have been a few glimmers of positive movement, most notably the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after nearly five years.