Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi arrived last night in an unannounced visit.
Foreign minister S Jaishankar with his counterpart Wang Yi meet today for delegation-level conversations since the border clash in 2020. This is the first senior Chinese visit to India since the border clashes in Ladakh
Wang Yi first meets up with Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor. In the meeting with Ajit Doval, Mr. Doval emphasized the early need for complete disengagement on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to allow the bilateral relationship to take its natural course. Doval said that restoration of peace and tranquillity will help build mutual trust and create enabling environment for progress in relations, according to people familiar with the subject.
After an hour-long meeting with Ajit Doval, Wang Yi proceeded for a meeting with his counterpart, S Jaishankar. They discussed the eastern Ladakh row and the disruption activated by the Ukraine crisis.
After having a comprehensive discussion with the Chinese foreign minister, S Jaishankar addressed the media. He said-
“My talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi have just concluded. We met for about three hours and addressed a broad and broad substantive agenda in an open and candid manner. We discussed our bilateral relations that have been disturbed as a result of Chinese actions in April 2020”.
“I was honest in conveying our sentiment on this issue during talks with Wang Yi,” he said, adding rehabilitation of normal ties will mandate restoration of normality in border areas.
Upon asking about any timeline regarding the disengagement and de-escalation along the LAC, the foreign minister S Jaishankar said-“There was no timeline… A parallel but a separate discussion took place in regard to sorting out the situation in border areas.”
S Jaishankar also said that the meeting allowed talks about major international issues. The two ministers exchanged views on Afghanistan and Ukraine also.
S Jaishankar also informed the media regarding the restricted foreign traveling in china as Indian students studying in Chinese universities are stuck in the country. He said-
“I also took up strongly the predicament of Indian students studying in China who haven’t been allowed to return citing COVID restrictions. We hope China will take a non-discriminatory approach since it involves the future of many young people”.
