The two countries are seeking to defuse military tensions along the border.
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi said bilateral relations between China and India need to be stabilized. The two countries are seeking to defuse military tensions along the border.
On the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting in Jakarta, Wang told Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar that mutual support between the two countries was necessary. India and China share a 3,800 kilometer border. The two engaged in a brief but bloody war in 1962.
Since the 1990s, relations between China and India have improved after a series of border agreements. China is now India’s second largest trading partner. However, relations between the two countries took a turn for the worse in 2020, when 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers died in hand-to-hand combat during border clashes. This prompted the two militaries to strengthen their positions and deploy large numbers of troops and military equipment.
Several rounds of military and diplomatic talks have helped defuse tensions between the two armies. But New Delhi describes the situation at the border as still fragile and dangerous.
“China and India need to work in the same direction to find a solution to the border issue that is acceptable to both sides,” Wang told Jaishankar during their meeting on Friday (14/7/2023).
“Both sides should support each other and achieve things together, rather than putting each other down or suspecting the other,” Wang said.
Wang said India and China should not let certain issues define their relationship as a whole. The two sides agreed to hold a round of military commander-level talks on the border issue.
Since 2020, New Delhi has stepped up surveillance of Chinese businesses. India has banned more than 300 Chinese apps, including TikTok. India has also intensified investment supervision by Chinese companies. Regarding India’s recent restrictions on Chinese companies, Wang urged a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.
Source : Repubika
