New Delhi
Senior Indian diplomat Vikram Misri, who is India – China Relations Special Envoy, held top level talks with the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of China. Hence the meeting is seen as a step in the line of the continued interaction between the two Asian neighbours via diplomatic channel . The talks focused on border peace, stability and trade cooperation, official sources said.
The meeting demonstrates the willingness of both the sides to continue to communicate with each other and, in case, they have any problem, they may solve them by talking face to face. Besides, there are still some challenges on the India-China border as well as in the broader strategic interaction.
Border Peace and Stability on the Agenda
The first and foremost point was the border issue, the situation on the India – China Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Himalayas. The two sides exchanged views on confidence building measures and the creation of a joint mechanism to promptly and effectively address any situation which may arise , thus preventing escalation of tensions . Furthermore they reaffirmed their commitments to the existing agreements aimed at maintaining border peace and tranquillity.
India’s position was that of advocating peace while at the same time, it is necessary to protect national sovereignty and security . This was also pointed out by Mr. Misri to the Chinese vice minister during the conversation. The latter told Mr. Misri that along the border there should be stability which would be a step towards regional harmony, i.e. a win for all sides.
Trade Cooperation and Economic Engagement
Besides security dialogue, the talks also touched upon the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. India and China are major trading partners, with the total value of bilateral trade reaching into hundreds of billions of dollars annually . Each side recognized the significance of stable trade relations for their economies,particularly as global supply chains are still being reshaped post pandemic and in the light of changing geopolitical tensions.
Although trade deficits and market access issues have been points of contention at times, the statement of officials indicate that both sides were ready to find “practical” ways of increasing their economic cooperation while still protecting their respective core national interests.
Diplomatic engagement continues despite differences
According to the commentators, the meeting exemplifies the pragmatic attitude that the two nations are more and more inclined to take towards the complicated relationship which involves aspects of cooperation, competition, and caution. Security issues, especially the border ones, have at times been the leading factor in India – China relations; however, both parties are ready to have diplomatic talks to ease the situation.
In the past few years , India and China have conducted multiple military and diplomatic discussions to work out border disengagement and ensure the situation does not escalate into conflict along the disputed border areas, including eastern Ladakh.The dialogue on Tuesday, where a senior envoy was leading the talk, is a continuation of this steady, though cautious, approach to communication.
