Channel: NationalDefence

Category: News & Politics

Tags: wag yi india visit'china india relationsindia china border dispute latestpakistanjammu and kashmirindiaindia china relationslacpengong pso lakechinachinese foreign affairs ministerladakhchina india military stand offwang yi dr jaishankar meeting

Description: As you are all aware, my talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi have just concluded. We met for about 3 hours and addressed a broad and substantive agenda in an open and candid manner. We discussed our bilateral relations that have been disturbed as a result of Chinese actions since April 2020. The occasion provided an opportunity to exchange views on major international issues, including Afghanistan and Ukraine. We also took up some other important concerns in our bilateral relationship, including education, travel and commerce. 2.​Foreign Minister Wang Yi and I have been in touch with each other over the last two years, even if we had not visited each other’s country. We met in Moscow in September 2020 and then again in Dushanbe in July and September 2021. We have had telephonic conversations during this period. And the focus of these interactions have naturally been on the situation in our border areas. Our meeting had led to an understanding on disengagement and de-escalation. The challenge, of course, has been to implement it on the ground. We have had 15 rounds of talks between Senior Commanders and progress has been achieved on several friction points from the disengagement perspective. This needs to be taken forward since the completion of disengagement is necessary for discussions on de-escalation to take place. I would describe our current situation as work in progress, obviously at a slower pace than desirable and my discussions with FM Wang Yi today were aimed at expediting the process. 3.​The impact of the tensions in the border areas on the overall relationship has been visible in the last two years. This is only natural since peace and tranquillity in the border areas have been the foundation of stable and cooperative ties. Indeed, we have agreements that were designed explicitly to strengthen this foundation and prevent the kind of situation that we are seeing today. I was very honest in my discussions with the Chinese Foreign Minister, especially in conveying our national sentiments on this issue. The frictions and tensions that arise from China’s deployments since April 2020 cannot be reconciled with a normal relationship between two neighbours. Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke about China’s desire for a return to normalcy, while also referring to the larger significance of our ties. I was equally forthcoming that India wants a stable and predictable relationship. But restoration of normalcy will obviously require a restoration of peace and tranquillity. If we are both committed to improving our ties, then this commitment must find full expression in ongoing disengagement talks. 4.​We had an extensive exchange of views on a number of contemporary matters. I laid out India’s principled approach to international relations based on respect for international law, UN Charter and sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. Disputes should be resolved without use or threat of use of force. Nor should there be attempts to unilaterally change the status quo. Where India and China are concerned, our relationship is best served by observing the three mutuals – mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests. 5.​We discussed today specific regional situations. Insofar as Afghanistan is concerned, India’s policy is guided by the UN Security Council Resolution 2593. On Ukraine, we discussed our respective approaches and perspectives but agreed that diplomacy and dialogue must be the priority. We also spent some time on multilateral issues. I emphasized the need to take forward the long overdue reform of the UN system, including the Security Council. 6.​I also took up strongly the predicament of Indian students studying in China who have not been allowed to return, citing Covid restrictions. We hope that China will take a non-discriminatory approach since it involves the future of so many young people. Minister Wang Yi assured me that he would speak to the relevant authorities on his return on this matter. He also recognised the particular concerns that medical students have in this difficult situation. Also on the agenda were matters pertaining to trade and investment. We continue to press for fairer market access. 7.​So overall, I would say that our talks today added to clarity in regard to various aspects of our bilateral relations. They also provided a useful opportunity for an exchange of perspectives on international issues. Chinese Foreign Affairs Wang Yi's India Visit: Special Briefing By EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar #WangYi, #DrSJaishankar, #IndiaChinaMilitaryStandOff, #LAC, #QUAD, #Russia, #Ukraine, #BRICS Report: Shailesh Kumar, National Defence New Delhi, 25 March 2022