(TibetanReview.net, Jul24’26) – China on Jul 23 highlighted the point that despite the depth of tumult in ties between the two sides since the mid-2020 Galwan Valley clash, India’s position towards it on the Taiwan and Tibet issues had remained unchanged. The remark, attributed to India’s External Affairs Minister EMS Jaishankar, followed the latter’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in the Philippines capital Manila on Jul 22 on the sideline of an ASEAN meeting.
However, this is far from saying that India is now willing to acknowledge the one-China stand of Beijing in any joint statement. Indeed, there appears to have been no explicit mention of this policy of Beijing in the Wang-Jaishankar discussions.
Jaishankar said that India’s positions on issues concerning Taiwan and Xizang have not changed, and India respects China’s sovereignty, reported China’s state news agency Xinhua Jul 23.
This was undoubtedly an important positive signal from the Indian side, China’s official globaltimes.cn Jul 23 cited Lan Jianxue, director of the Department of Asia-Pacific Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, as saying.
Jaishankar was stated to have added that India had consistently advanced a positive and cooperative bilateral relationship with a forward-looking approach.
On his part, Wang has told Jaishankar that the two countries should make positive contributions to advancing multipolarity and greater democracy in international relations. He has said the two sides should bear the well-being of humanity in mind, demonstrate a sense of responsibility as major countries, consolidate the positive momentum in bilateral relations, and strengthen coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, according to the globaltimes.cn report.
He has spoken of China’s readiness to work with India to implement the important common understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, maintain close high-level exchanges, strengthen cooperation in areas including economy and trade, media, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and properly handle sensitive issues, according to a readout released by Chinese Foreign Ministry earlier on Jul 23.
Wang’s remarks clearly outlined the current trajectory of China-India relations, which have overcome difficulties, seen an overall improvement and stabilization, and are advancing practical cooperation, the globaltimes.cn report cited Chinese experts as saying.