(TibetanReview.net, Jan27’25) –China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on his country and India to “explore more substantial measures to promote mutual understanding and support” as he met with the latter’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Beijing on Jan 27.
Their meeting was the latest between top officials from the two sides following a pivotal agreement in Oct 2024 aimed at easing tension on their disputed Ladakh-Tibet border to pave way for normalizing bilateral ties. Misri’s Jan 26-27 visit was stated to be part of moves aimed at improving official contacts between the two counties.
China and India should “refrain from mutual suspicion, mutual estrangement, and mutual exhaustion”, and, instead, commit to “mutual support and mutual achievement”, the Chinese foreign ministry’s readout has cited Mr Wang as saying during the meeting.
Relations between the two countries plummeted to all-time low in decades following a military clash on the Ladakh-Tibet-border in mid-2020.
Ties began improving only over the past four months with several high-level meetings, including talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Russia in Oct 2024.
And it all began with an agreement in Oct 2024, when the two sides agreed to disengage troops at two key face-off points on the largely undemarcated western Himalayan frontier in Ladakh and scheduled patrols designed to avoid clashes in the disputed areas.
The Chinese readout quoted Misri as saying, “the two countries have engaged in a series of beneficial dialogues and communications, properly managed and resolved differences, and promoted the resumption of practical cooperation in various fields.”
Misri has added, “India is willing to work with China to jointly celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and will fully support China in its role as the rotating chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization”.
There has been no official statement yet from India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
Misri landed in Beijing on Jan 26 and was also slated to meet his Chinese counterpart, Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, on Jan 27 for bilateral talks.
Beijing has outlined its “wish list” — including the resumption of direct flights between the two countries, easing of visa curbs on Chinese nationals including diplomats and scholars, lifting of the ban on Chinese mobile apps, letting Chinese journalists report from India, and allowing more Indian movies in Chinese theatres – noted the indianexpress.com Jan 27.
China insists on immediate normalization of bilateral ties, with the border issue being left for continued discussions. However, India’s position remains that the eastern Ladakh border disengagement deal reached between the two sides on Oct 24 should be followed by de-escalation of tension at the border, and development mutual trust, leading to normalization of bilateral ties.
During the 23rd meeting of the special representatives of the two countries on the boundary question last month, it was reported to have been suggested that India reopen flight services with China and the latter reopen Tibet for Indian pilgrimage to Mt Kailash and lake Mansarovar.