New Delhi, December 3 (IANS) Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said on Tuesday that India-China relations, which were abnormal since 2020, are now moving towards some improvement. Making a statement in the Lok Sabha on ‘Recent developments in India’s relations with China’, the External Affairs Minister gave a detailed briefing on the recent developments in India-China relations, especially in the border areas.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Jaishankar said, “Our (India-China) relations have been extraordinary since 2020, when peace and stability in the border areas was disrupted as a result of Chinese actions. Recent developments, which reflect our continued diplomatic engagement since , has moved our relations towards some improvement.”
Let us tell you that in October, an agreement was reached between India and China regarding the withdrawal of troops from the border.
Jaishankar said, “India-China relations cannot be normal in the absence of peace and harmony in the border areas. Restoration of peace and harmony will be the basis for taking the remaining relations forward.”
The External Affairs Minister said, “We are clear that maintaining peace and stability in the border areas is a prerequisite for the development of our relations. In the coming days, we will focus on effective management of our activities in the border areas as well as de-escalation of tensions.” “In my recent meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, we agreed that the Special Representative and Foreign Secretary level mechanisms will meet soon.”
Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s three core principles – strict respect for and adherence to the LAC, non-unilateral change in the status quo and adherence to past agreements. “A strong and principled stance on the situation in the border areas and a clear approach to the integrity of the relationship have been the cornerstone of our engagement with China for the last four years,” he said.
On October 21, India announced that it had reached a border agreement with China, marking the beginning of an end to the long-running standoff.
Confirming the agreement the next day, Beijing said “relevant matters” had been resolved and it would work with New Delhi to implement the terms of the agreement.
–IANS
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