Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said Thursday that it is imperative that India and China “reach an agreement” as the solution to the confrontation along the Line of Royal Control must lie in the “domain of diplomacy.” .
Jaishankar made the remarks during an online event organized by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) to mark the launch of his book ‘The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World’, during which the relationship with China and the confrontation took a place outstanding.
In addition to questions about the impact of the confrontation on bilateral relations, Jaishankar was asked what he would say when he meets with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Moscow on September 10.
“As for what I’ll be talking about with my Chinese colleague when I meet him, I mean, we’ve known each other for a long time, so you can have a reasonable guess,” Jaishankar replied, without elaborating.
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The Foreign Ministry confirmed Thursday that the minister will join the September 10 meeting, but there has been no official news of a bilateral meeting with Wang.
This is the first time that the two ministers will meet face to face since the confrontation emerged in public, although they have participated in virtual meetings of various groups and have also spoken after the June 15 confrontation that left 20 Indian soldiers dead. They will also join a virtual meeting of BRICS foreign ministers on September 4.
Responding to another question about whether China is in India’s way, Jaishankar said this was not the “easiest moment” in the bilateral relationship, but added that it was “imperative and vital for both countries to reach an agreement, and not just for themselves. “
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Emphasizing that he was not underestimating the challenges of the boundary issue, the minister said: “I am fully convinced that the solution to the situation must be found in the domain of diplomacy.”
India and China have a long history, which is “very good in many parts, very indifferent in some and very difficult in some,” he said, adding that “the most difficult parts are more recent.”
Jaishankar said he had a long-term view of the ties in his book, which was written before the confrontation began, and there are agreements and understandings on the border issue that must be scrupulously observed by both parties. “Neither party should try to change the status quo unilaterally, and the reality is that what happens at the border will affect the relationship. You can’t separate that, ”he said.
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He sidestepped a question about his recent comments that he did not understand why China has thousands of troops in LAC and said it was Beijing to provide an answer on this issue.
Jaishankar also said that he was not comfortable with terms like “Himalayan cold war” or “hot peace”, and that the two sides have to “work to overcome this”. He added: “I am convinced that the way out is through diplomacy. That will happen if both parties see that it is convenient for them not to see what we have seen this summer.
Jaishankar also cited the rise of China and America’s shift in focus on world affairs as two of the most shocking changes in recent times. While the United States has withdrawn from its “global project” and away from alliances, the speed and impact of China’s rise has surpassed everything else, he said.
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