External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, who is on a visit to China after five years of strained ties, expressed confidence that New Delhi and Beijing will maintain the ‘positive trajectory’ of the bilateral ties. During his meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Jaishankar also said that India supports China for SCO presidency.
“Our bilateral relationship 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. We have marked, Excellency, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is also widely appreciated in India. Continued normalization of our ties can produce mutually beneficial outcomes,” said Jaishankar.
He further added, ” The international situation, as we meet today, is very complex. As neighboring nations and major economies, an open exchange of views and perspectives between India and China is very important.”
Taking to X, Jaishankar said, “Pleased to meet Vice President Han Zheng soon after my arrival in Beijing today. Conveyed India’s support for China’s SCO Presidency.” Jaishankar will also participate in the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (CFM) on July 15 being held in Tianjin.
The External Affairs Minister further added, “Noted the improvement in our bilateral ties. And expressed confidence that discussions during my visit will maintain that positive trajectory.”
Jaishankar reached Beijing on Sunday evening after his fruitful visit to Singapore. The visit comes at a time when both countries are trying to ease tensions and improve ties that plummeted following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020.
The External Affairs Minister is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, for a bilateral meeting on Monday. Jaishankar and Wang last met in February on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Johannesburg, where both sides echoed calls for mutual trust and support.
Jaishankar’s visit follows visits by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who had travelled 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.
