In a major diplomatic breakthrough, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday in Beijing. This is Jaishankar’s first visit to China after the Galwan Valley conflict in 2020, which sharply strained relations between the two bordering nations.
Posting a photo of the meeting on X (formerly Twitter), Jaishankar said he had talked about the growth of India-China bilateral relations and expressed greetings from Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Chinese leader.
Briefed President Xi on the recent progress of our bilateral relationship. Appreciate the vision of our leaders on that,” Jaishankar tweeted.
The meeting with Xi Jinping was in the company of foreign ministers from other Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) nations, as Jaishankar goes about his multilateral interactions in Beijing.
#WATCH | External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar called on President of China, Xi Jinping, this morning, in Beijing, along with his fellow SCO Foreign Ministers
(Video source: Embassy of India in Beijing, China) pic.twitter.com/CODcy6IRpO
— ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2025
Prioritization of Bilateral Dialogue and Positive Trend
Before meeting Xi, Jaishankar also met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng with a focus on continuous dialogue between India and China.
“As neighboring countries and large economies, a free exchange of views and ideas between China and India is extremely important. I am looking forward to such an exchange during this visit,” Jaishankar had stated earlier.
Jaishankar’s statement is indicative of India’s attempts to establish stability and ongoing dialogue with China in the face of long-standing border tensions.
Enhancing Relations Since the Modi-Xi Meeting in Kazan
Diplomatic relations between the two Asian powers started warming up in October 2024, after a key meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping on the margins of a summit in Kazan, Russia. That top-level meeting resulted in major announcements, such as the disengagement of troops in Depsang and Demchok, the two conflict points in Ladakh where Indian and Chinese militaries had clashed since 2020.
“I am sure that my engagements during this visit will continue that positive direction,” Jaishankar said, showing hope about the success of this continuous diplomatic initiative.
Part of Two-Nation Visit
Jaishankar’s China visit is the second phase of his two-nation trip, following an earlier visit to Singapore. While in Beijing, he will also meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for bilateral talks that may further boost the current peace efforts.
The visit has been viewed as a significant step towards re-establishing trust and initiating a future-oriented dialogue between the two biggest countries in Asia. With top-level engagement resuming and good diplomatic vibes flowing, this visit may lay the groundwork for enhanced regional collaboration and diminished border tensions in the months ahead.
