External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visits China after five years, meets Chinese VP Han Zheng, supports SCO presidency, and urges open India-China dialogue amid improving ties post-Galwan.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a high-level meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing on Monday, marking his first visit to China in five years. During their talks, Jaishankar conveyed India’s support for China’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Presidency and stressed the importance of continued dialogue and normalization of ties between the two neighbours.
In a post shared on X, Jaishankar said, “Pleased to meet Vice President Han Zheng soon after my arrival in Beijing today. Conveyed India’s support for China’s SCO Presidency. Noted the improvement in our bilateral ties. And expressed confidence that discussions during my visit will maintain that positive trajectory.”
The meeting came at a critical time as both nations navigate strained ties since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, the deadliest border conflict in over four decades. Jaishankar underlined that relations have steadily improved since the brief interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan last October.
“India supports a successful Chinese presidency at the SCO. Excellency, our bilateral relationship has been steadily improving since the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan. I am confident that my discussions in this visit will maintain that positive trajectory,” Jaishankar said.
The Minister noted that India and China are celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties and that resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after a five-year pause has been widely welcomed by the Indian public.
“We have marked, Excellency, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is also widely appreciated in India. Continued normalization of our ties can produce mutually beneficial outcomes,” he stated.
Jaishankar highlighted the current international geopolitical situation as “very complex” and reiterated the importance of open conversations between India and China, both major global economies.
“As neighbouring nations and major economies, an open exchange of views and perspectives between India and China is very important,” he said.
This is the first trip by Jaishankar to China since the Galwan clash of 2020. His visit follows the recent trips made by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in June for SCO engagements.
While in Beijing, Jaishankar is expected to hold bilateral meetings with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. The two had last met in February this year during the G20 foreign ministers’ meet in Johannesburg.
Jaishankar is also slated to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting (CFM) in Tianjin on July 15. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed, “EAM will visit the People’s Republic of China to participate in the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (CFM) being held in Tianjin. EAM will also hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the CFM.”
Sources indicated that after the Modi-Xi meeting in Kazan, disengagement processes were initiated in flashpoints like Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh. A revival of the dormant Special Representatives (SR) mechanism for boundary dialogue is also in the works.
Wang Yi is expected to visit India next month and meet NSA Ajit Doval as part of this SR mechanism, which is aimed at resolving the long-pending border disputes through structured dialogue.
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra had been suspended since 2020, initially due to COVID-19 and then due to tensions at the border. Its resumption is being viewed as a symbolic step toward confidence-building in bilateral relations.
With a renewed focus on diplomatic exchanges, cultural outreach, and strategic talks, Jaishankar’s visit is seen as a key moment in rebuilding trust and cooperation between Asia’s two largest nations.
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