As India and China continue to improve trade and diplomatic ties, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing on Monday. This meeting marked a significant step in normalising relations between the two Asian neighbours.
Soon after arriving in China, Jaishankar shared on X (formerly Twitter), “Pleased to meet Vice President Han Zheng soon after my arrival in Beijing today, and conveyed India’s support for China’s SCO Presidency. Noted the improvement in our bilateral ties. And expressed confidence that discussions during my visit will maintain that positive trajectory.”
https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1944589556491440326
During formal talks, Jaishankar voiced India’s support for China’s presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and highlighted that relations between the two countries have steadily improved since the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan last year.
“India supports a successful Chinese presidency at the SCO. Our bilateral relationship, as you have pointed out, 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,” Jaishankar told Han during the meeting.
Jaishankar also praised the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a religious pilgrimage deeply valued in India. He noted that this development, along with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, were significant milestones.
He said, “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 normalisation of our ties can produce mutually beneficial outcomes.”
As part of the discussions, Jaishankar pointed out the complicated global environment, stressing the need for collaboration, especially among large neighbouring countries like India and China.
“The international situation, as we meet today, Excellency, is very complex. As neighbouring nations and major economies, an open exchange of views and perspectives between India and China is very important,” he remarked during the meeting.
Jaishankar added that India is looking forward to more such engagements in the future, highlighting the importance of direct dialogue in maintaining stability and cooperation.
Jaishankar’s current visit to China is notable as it is his first in five years. His arrival follows a stopover in Singapore, and this trip marks a turning point after years of border tension and disengagement talks between the two nations. Since the Galwan clashes, both sides have been working to reduce military tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The Indian minister is also expected to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for further bilateral discussions. The two leaders last interacted in February on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
