India, China Seek ‘New Progress’ on Ladakh Dispute, Discuss Multipolarity
13:47 26.07.2024 (Updated: 14:49 26.07.2024)
© Photo : X/@DrSJaishankar
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The talks between Indian and Chinese foreign ministers on the sidelines of ASEAN-mechanism meetings in Laos was their second face-to-face meeting in less than a month. S Jaishankar and Wang Yi also met on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) meeting in Astana.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi have agreed to make concerted efforts to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas, and work for new progress in consultations on border affairs, according to a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry released after the meeting between the top diplomats on Thursday.
Wang Yi told Jaishankar that Beijing and New Delhi, as the world's major economies and neighbours, should increase "understanding and mutual trust" as well as handle differences in a proper manner. The top Chinese diplomat called for a "rational approach" in handling the bilateral relationship, which he said went beyond the "bilateral scope".
"Handling the differences between the two countries should demonstrate the political wisdom of China and India as two ancient civilizations... It is hoped that the two sides will work together to actively explore the right way for the two big neighbors to get along with each other, and guide all communities to develop positive perceptions of each other," the Chinese Foreign Minister said.
For his part, Jaishankar reiterated New Delhi's stance that the state of the border would necessarily be "reflected on the state of our ties". He noted that the disturbance to the peace and tranquility at the Ladakh border in the last four years had "cast a shadow" on the overall relationship since 2020.
An Indian readout of the meeting stressed that both the ministers agreed on the need to work with "purpose and urgency to achieve complete disengagement" at the earliest date.
"Their talks focussed on finding an early resolution of the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control to stabilize and rebuild bilateral relations," it said.
In their meeting on Thursday, both the diplomats also called for an early meeting of the Working Mechanism on Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) to achieve progress in border talks.
Jaishankar called for adhering to three mutuals in the Sino-India ties, which include "mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity".
"We have both made considerable efforts to resolve the related issues. Our endeavor is to complete that process and ensure that there is full respect for the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the agreements that we have signed in the past," the Indian foreign minister said.
He expressed confidence that the meeting between the two diplomats would allow both of them to "give stronger guidance" to respective officials towards achieving disengagement from the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh, including the strategically significant Depsang Plains.
Since 2020, the Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) have held several rounds of corp commander level and official consulations, leading to disengagement from Galwan Valley, northern and southern banks of Pangong Tso Lake and Gogra-Hot Springs area.
Significantly, the foreign ministers' meeting took place days after military-level meetings between the countries along the LAC between 11 and 13 July.
Stable India, China Ties Important for a Multipolar World: Jaishankar
Focussing on the significance of the Sino-India relationship for Asia and the world, Jaishankar stressed that a stable and forward-looking relationship was essential for prospects of Asia and that of the multipolar world.
The Indian minister noted that the world was in the grips of a "volatile and uncertain era", which include Covid and conflict-related economic disruptions.
"At this time it is in our mutual interest to stabilize our ties and focus on growth and development that requires us to approach our immediate issues with a sense of purpose and urgency," he stated.
The Chinese Foreign Minister, for his part, emphasised the importance of a stable relationship for the broader interest of the Global South community of nations.
"Tackling global challenges should embody the solidarity and cooperation of countries of the Global South. Wang Yi emphasized that a China-India relationship back on the right track serves the interests of both sides and meets the shared aspiration of countries of the Global South," the Chinese foreign ministry readout said.
