Vikram Misri meets China’s vice-minister; talks focus on border peace, trade

As per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement on Tuesday evening, in their meeting held under the framework of India-China Strategic Dialogue, both sides recognised the need for an early conclusion of an updated air services agreement. The Vice Foreign Minister also conveyed that China understands and respects India’s aspirations for UNSC membership, the MEA said.

“Both sides underscored the importance of peace and tranquility in the border areas for overall progress in bilateral relations,” the statement said, adding, “They reiterated their commitment to implement the guidance provided by their leaders including on the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to… issues and concerns related to bilateral trade.”

The MEA said Misri noted the successful resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and hoped for the continued expansion of the scale of the Yatra. Misri and Ma also discussed various regional and international issues, as per MEA.

“Both sides recognised the need for an early conclusion of an updated air services agreement. The two sides agreed to continue to take practical steps for visa facilitation and promote people-to-people contacts,” it said.

In a post on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said both sides reviewed the “positive momentum” in bilateral relations and discussed ways to further advance ties by enhancing people-to-people exchanges and “addressing concerns on sensitive issues”.

As per the Chinese readout post the meeting, both sides had “friendly, candid and in-depth communication on the international and regional situation, respective internal and external policies, international and regional issues of shared interest, and China-India relations”.

It said that “given the complex and profound changes in the international situation, China and India should work together to earnestly implement the important common understandings reached between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, view and handle China-India relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, and uphold the strategic perception that China and India are cooperative partners instead of rivals”.

China and India should deepen mutual trust and expand cooperation, properly manage differences, and promote the development of China-India relations along a sound and steady track, the Chinese statement said.

Earlier in the day, after the Vice Foreign Minister’s participation in the BRICS Sherpa meeting in New Delhi, the Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong posted on X: “China is ready to work with India, the BRICS chair for the year, and BRICS members as well as partner countries to follow the correct course of BRICS cooperation, deepen practical cooperation, improve the working mechanism, strengthen multilateral coordination, uphold international fairness and justice, and bring greater development to BRICS cooperation.”

Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More

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