NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Monday met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in New Delhi and held a meeting. In his meeting with Wang, Jaishankar said that the differences must not become disputes between the two countries. “The fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is another major priority. I look forward to our exchange of views. Overall, it is our expectation that our discussions would contribute to building a stable cooperative and forward-looking relationship between India and China, one that serves both our interests and addresses our concerns,” Jaishankar said in the meeting. Jaishankar said that there will be a discussion on border issues between Wang Yi and Special Representative NSA Ajit Doval on Tuesday. “This is very important because the basis for any positive momentum in our ties is the ability to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas. It is also essential that the de-escalation process move forward,” he said. “When the world’s two largest nations meet, it is natural that the international situation will be discussed. We seek a fair, balanced and multipolar world order, including a multipolar Asia. Reform multilateralism is also the call of the day. In the current environment, there is clearly an imperative of maintaining and enhancing stability in the global economy as well. The fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is another major priority. I look forward to our exchange of views…” he added,Wang began a two-day visit to India on Monday to attend the 24th round of Special Representatives (SRs) talks on the border issue with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The meeting follows Doval’s December trip to Beijing for the 23rd round of talks, held weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed in Kazan to revive dialogue mechanisms during the BRICS summit.Wang’s visit comes ahead of PM Modi’s trip to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Wang’s visit reflects Beijing’s intent to implement understandings reached between the two leaders, maintain high-level exchanges, deepen political trust, expand cooperation, and properly manage differences to ensure stable development of bilateral ties. Mao described the SR-level dialogue as a crucial channel for advancing boundary negotiations. She noted that the previous round in Beijing produced agreements on delimitation, border management, and cross-border cooperation. Both sides, she said, have been working through diplomatic channels this year to implement those outcomes. Looking ahead, Mao said China is prepared to continue constructive engagement with India on the basis of existing consensus to jointly preserve peace and stability along the border.
