S Jaishankar Engages with Chinese Counterpart

In Vientiane, Laos, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Thursday. Jaishankar emphasized the importance of ensuring “full respect” for the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and adhering to past agreements to stabilize bilateral relations.

This meeting, the second one between the two leaders this month, took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meetings. Both Jaishankar and Wang Yi agreed on the need to provide strong guidance to complete the disengagement process at the border.

Jaishankar shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, “Met with CPC Politburo member and FM Wang Yi in Vientiane today. Continued our ongoing discussions about our bilateral relationship. The state of the border will necessarily be reflected on the state of our ties.”

The discussions came against the backdrop of a prolonged border standoff in eastern Ladakh, which has been ongoing since May 2020. Reflecting on the talks, Jaishankar stressed the mutual interest in stabilizing ties and the urgency of addressing immediate issues.

Earlier this month, Jaishankar and Wang Yi also met in Astana, Kazakhstan, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. India has consistently maintained that peace in the border areas is crucial for normalizing relations with China.

The fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 significantly deteriorated the relationship between the two countries, marking the most serious military conflict between India and China in decades. Despite some disengagement at various friction points, a full resolution of the border dispute remains elusive.