External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to attend SCO meeting in Tianjin, China next week. This will be his first visit to China after the Galwan clash. Discussions on border disputes and other bilateral issues are likely to take place at the meeting.
SCO Meeting: Amidst the strained relations between India and China over the past few years, a significant diplomatic initiative is about to take place. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will visit Tianjin, China next week. This visit is to participate in the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The meeting will be held on July 15th. This trip is considered particularly important because it will be Jaishankar's first visit to China after the clash in the Galwan Valley.
Representatives from all member countries to participate in the SCO meeting
The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that this important SCO Foreign Ministers' meeting will be held in Tianjin on July 15th. It will include foreign ministers of member countries and heads of permanent bodies of the organization. At the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar will represent India at this meeting.
Bilateral talks also planned
Along with attending the meeting, a bilateral meeting between S. Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also proposed. Both leaders may discuss border disputes, imbalances in bilateral trade, restrictions on the export of Rare Earth Metals, and ways to normalize mutual relations.
First major political visit after the Galwan clash
This visit by Jaishankar is also considered significant because after the violent clashes between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh in 2020, relations between the two countries have been strained. Political contacts have been very limited since then. In this context, this visit is considered a major step in efforts to improve relations between the two countries.
Earlier, Rajnath Singh and Doval have visited China
Prior to Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval have visited China. Both had also held discussions on border disputes and strategic issues at their respective levels. Specifically, Doval's visit to China was aimed at reactivating the "Special Representative Mechanism" initiated for resolving the border dispute.
Possibility of Wang Yi visiting India
According to sources, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi may also visit India this month. If this visit takes place, he may meet NSA Doval, which will include another round of talks on the border dispute under the Special Representative (SR) mechanism. So far, 23 rounds of talks have taken place between India and China under this mechanism. However, no concrete solution has yet emerged.
Agreement was reached during the Modi-Jinping meeting
This discussion is taking place against the backdrop of the meeting that took place between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 23, 2024, in the city of Kazan, Russia. In that meeting, both leaders agreed that all channels of dialogue would be reactivated to resolve the border dispute. Under this, it was decided to make the Special Representative Mechanism and other diplomatic platforms effective again.
Discussions on the export of Rare Earth Metals will also take place
Another important issue during Jaishankar's visit to China could be Rare Earth Metals. China has recently imposed controls on the export of these metals. These metals are used in important sectors like defense, space, and electronics. India may also raise this issue in the talks because it is a matter related to the country's strategic needs.
Resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra indicates improvement in relations
There have also been some positive signs between India and China in recent months. One of the major signs is the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. This Yatra has been restarted after almost five years, which is considered an important initiative towards rebuilding trust between the two countries.
