Bali: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting and held discussions over “outstanding issues” including the border situation.
Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, “Began my day in Bali by meeting FM Wang Yi of China. The discussion lasted one hour. Focused on specific outstanding issues in our bilateral relationship pertaining to the border situation. Also spoke about other matters including students and flights.”
HIGHLIGHTS
- Moreover, Jaishankar also shared perspectives on the international situation and its impact on the G20 deliberations.
- In May this year, India and China held talks on border issues and they decided to hold the next round of Senior Commanders Meeting at an early date.
- After the Galwan clash in 2020, several rounds of military and diplomatic talks have taken place to resolve the standoff. Disengagement at some border points did take place but by and large, there is an impasse on complete disengagement.
- “As far as the current situation (in eastern Ladakh) is concerned, we have maintained continuous communication with the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels,” MEA spokesperson Bagchi had said earlier.
- On the Chinese aggression which started in 2020, the Defence Ministry in its Year-End review had stated that unilateral and provocative actions by the Chinese to change the status quo by force, in more than one area on the LAC, have been responded to as an adequate measure.
- However, after a US General visiting India termed the Chinese activity level in eastern Ladakh as “eye-opening” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) had stated that China and India have the will and capability of resolving the question of the border situation through dialogue and consultation and that US officials were trying to add “fuel to the fire”.
- The reaction by China came in the wake of remarks made by US Army’s Pacific Commanding General Charles A. Flynn who was on a four-day visit to India earlier. Flynn in an interaction with journalists talked about the “alarming” infrastructure development by China along its borders with India in the Ladakh sector, and called the Chinese activities in that region “eye-opening”.
- Twenty Indian soldiers had died in the Galwan Valley clash which was fought in hand-to-hand combat in sub-zero temperatures in the near pitch-black night of June 15 and June 16, 2020.
- The clash was the deadliest confrontation between India and China in over four decades. China’s state media has almost entirely failed to cover the skirmish or its aftermath.
- The clash took place along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh following a standoff over the actions of the Chinese Army.
During the meeting which is set to take place from July 7 to 8, the participating Foreign ministers will hold talks on issues of contemporary relevance, such as strengthening multilateralism and current global challenges including food and energy security, read a release by the Ministry of External Affairs. - The External Affairs Minister is slated to hold several bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other G20 member states and invited countries during the visit. The EAM’s participation in the G20 FMM will strengthen India’s engagement with G20 member states. As a G20 troika member and as the incoming G20 Presidency, India’s role in the upcoming FMM discussions assumes even greater importance, the official statement read.