Jaishankar Highlights Importance of India-China Dialogue in Beijing

Beijing, July 14 (PTI) - On Monday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar communicated to Chinese Vice President Han Zheng that normalizing India-China relations further could lead to mutually beneficial results. In a meeting with Han, Jaishankar emphasized the importance of an open dialogue between the two neighboring countries, especially given the "complex" global environment.

Jaishankar arrived in Beijing this morning from Singapore, marking the final stop of his two-nation visit. His trip to China is aimed at attending a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave in Tianjin.

This visit marks Jaishankar's first to China since relations soured due to a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in 2020. "Our bilateral relationship, as you've noted, has been steadily improving since the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan last October," Jaishankar mentioned in his televised opening remarks during the meeting.

"I am hopeful that my discussions during this visit will continue on this positive trajectory," he added. The minister also highlighted the 75th anniversary of India-China diplomatic relations.

"The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is highly appreciated in India. Further normalization of our ties can generate mutually beneficial outcomes," he stated.

Given today's complex international situation, open exchanges of views and perspectives between India and China are essential, Jaishankar noted. "I look forward to such discussions during this visit," he said.

This visit comes less than three weeks after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Qingdao, a Chinese port city, to participate in the SCO defense ministers' conference. China is currently chairing the SCO, hosting the meetings in this capacity.