A wide ranging discussion with Politburo member and Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China in Manila #Philippines.
Text of my opening remarks as below:
Excellency, I am glad to meet you again. Our participation in the ASEAN Regional Forum not only provides an occasion to exchange views collectively, but also hold this bilateral meeting.
We ourselves met a year ago and you were recently in India. Today’s occasion will be useful in taking stock of our ties and also discuss important regional and global developments.
Since the meeting of our leaders in Kazan in October 2024, relations between India and China have been gradually normalizing. This direction was further affirmed when they met in Tianjin last August.
We believe that a stable and cooperative relationship can best be developed on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. Such a relationship can make a valuable contribution to a multi-polar Asia and a multi-polar world.
Peace and tranquility in the border areas is obviously the pre-requisite for normal ties. Since October 2024, both sides have engaged to ensure that important objective. This will continue to need our constant attention. Relevant mechanisms in this domain must be given full support and strong encouragement.
It is natural that as two large and important nations, and that too proximate neighbours, India and China would have their own particular interests. That is why our leaders had agreed that differences should not become disputes. It is the responsibility of diplomacy to properly manage them.
Excellency, the steps in normalization taken over the last few months must be welcomed. This includes resumption of direct flights, updating of the visa regime, restarting the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, and re-commencing border trade.
However, there are also important dimensions of our ties that need to be addressed. Fair market access and a trade balance ranks high in that regard. There are also concerns about predictability of supply chains. Facilitating both official and people-to-people exchanges merit our attention. We also need to agree on the meetings of various mechanisms and platforms as per our mutual priorities.
India is the chair of the BRICS this year. Let me take the opportunity to appreciate the support that China has given to various BRICS activities and initiatives during our chairship.
The global situation is currently extremely complicated. Meeting at an international gathering, it would be appropriate to exchange views on some of its pressing aspects.
Once again, I am glad to see you and look forward to our discussions.
: S. Jaishankar
Minister of External Affairs of India