New Delhi: In a significant development on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a crucial meeting on Friday. This encounter marked a continuation of the ongoing efforts to restore and strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations.
The meeting, which took place on February 21, was part of Jaishankar’s two-day visit to South Africa to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. During their discussions, Wang Yi emphasized that the restoration of mutual trust and the achievement of win-win cooperation between India and China align with the shared expectations of both countries’ peoples. This sentiment was echoed in a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Wang Yi referenced the pivotal meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan last year, highlighting that it set a clear direction for the improvement and development of bilateral relations. The Kazan meeting had initiated a series of exchanges at all levels between India and China, including the resumption of dialogue mechanisms and the consensus reached by special representatives on handling border issues.
Jaishankar underscored the importance of the Modi-Xi meeting in Kazan, noting that it provided crucial guidance for rebuilding bilateral relations. He emphasized that India values the progress made in improving ties and is committed to working with China to accelerate the restoration of cooperative mechanisms, enhance cultural exchanges, and facilitate people-to-people ties. Jaishankar also stressed the need to jointly maintain peace and stability in the border regions.
The disengagement process between Indian and Chinese troops from the friction points in Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh was a significant step forward. This development followed the finalization of a pact for troop withdrawal, after which Modi and Xi held talks in Kazan on October 23, deciding to revive various dialogue mechanisms.
The meeting between Jaishankar and Wang Yi gained additional significance in light of US President Donald Trump’s recent offer to mediate the long-standing tensions between India and China. However, India has reiterated its stance that such issues must be resolved bilaterally.
China has expressed its willingness to collaborate with India to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, a move that is expected to inject new momentum into the development of bilateral ties.
