India-China Ties: Chinese Foreign Minister Calls for Mutual Understanding

India-China Ties: India and China must strive for mutual understanding while steering clear of "suspicion" and "alienation," asserted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday. This discussion took place ahead of another round of talks with Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, continuing the trend established following an agreement last October to ease tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which had been a flashpoint for over four years.

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Wang emphasized the importance of both sides making compromises by expressing that they should “meet each other halfway” and dedicate themselves to fostering mutual understanding and support. He underscored the necessity to avoid falling prey to suspicion or alienation, as outlined in a Mandarin summary from China's foreign ministry. There has yet to be any formal communication regarding this meeting from the Indian administration.

Highlighting the significance of improving bilateral ties, Wang remarked that enhancing China-India relations aligns with the fundamental interests of both countries and is beneficial for protecting the rights and privileges of nations within the Global South.

Since India and China reached an agreement concerning disengagement at two remaining contentious points—Demchok and Depsang—on October 21, they have taken steps toward restoring their relationship, which had severely deteriorated over six decades. Shortly after this agreement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Xi Jinping in Russia two days later.

In recent weeks, discussions between foreign ministers from both nations occurred alongside various multilateral meetings. Additionally, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval's visit to Beijing in December marked significant progress in addressing border issues through talks involving Special Representatives from both countries; notably, this was their second engagement within five months.

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India has adopted a more cautious and nuanced approach to these meetings in the face of Chinese demands for easing visa restrictions and resumption of direct flights suspended since 2020. China has called for putting the border issue in its “appropriate place” in the overall relationship, a signal that the two sides should take forward trade and investment ties.

At the meeting of the Special Representatives, the two sides agreed to focus on cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, data sharing on trans-border rivers, and border trade.

The Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage, stopped for the past four years, is expected to figure in Misri’s talks on Monday with the Chinese vice foreign ministry, alongside measures to bolster trust and facilitate de-escalation in Ladakh sector of the LAC, people familiar with the matter said.

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