BEIJING – Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale has held across-the –board talkswith top Chinese officials on advancing ties between India and China, whichhave encountered several points of friction.
Mr. Gokhale’s visit is also seen as part of preparations for talks betweenPrime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at the June summit ofthe Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at the Chinese coastal city ofQingdao.
The Foreign Secretary met Polit Bureau member and State Councilor YangJiechi, China’s top foreign policy official, as well as Foreign MinisterWang Yi and Vice Foreign Minister Mr. Kong Xuanyou.
Last year, Prime Minister Modi and President Xi had met in Xiamen on thesidelines of the BRICS summit in September — to revive ties that had beenhit by the Doklam border crisis in summer. As a follow-up to these talks,Mr. Wang Yi and Mr. Yang had visited New Delhi in December.
“During the consultations, the two sides reviewed recent developments inbilateral relations, including high level exchanges, and discussed theagenda for bilateral engagement in the coming months,” an Indian embassypress statement said.
*Maldives tangle, NSG among issues*
India’s concerns regarding China’s growing influence in the Indian Oceanhave been rising, and have peaked after the pro-China President of MaldivesAbdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency on February 5 in the islandnation.
Without making any specific reference to Maldives, the statement said thatthe “two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues ofcommon interest”.
The statement noted the necessity of building on the “convergences” betweenthe two countries. But is also stressed that Beijing and New Delhi should“address differences on the basis of mutual respect and sensitivity to eachother’s concerns, interests and aspirations.” In the past, Indian officialshave pointed to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passesthrough Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) as an infringement of India’ssovereignty. China’s decision to come in the way of a UN ban on MasoodAzhar, head of the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), aswell as Beijing’s objections to India’s entry into the Nuclear SuppliersGroup (NSG) emerged as additional points of abrasion in New Delhi-Beijingties.
*New phase of talks?*
Prior to Mr. Gokhale’s visit, India’s Ambassador to China, Gautam Bambawalehad said in a late January interview that a new phase of talks shouldcommence, where both sides show greater sensitivity and appreciation ofeach other’s core concerns. “In our conversations and discussions, it isimportant to talk to each other and not talk past each other. We must besensitive to the other side’s concerns. Our interaction must be based onequality and mutual benefit,” he told state-run tabloid *Global Times*.
In a separate statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry quoted Mr. Wang Yi assaying during his talks with Mr. Gokhale that Beijing “hopes that theIndian side will handle sensitive issues prudently and work with China topromote the sound development of China-India relations.”
The two sides also agreed to expedite various dialogue mechanisms in orderto promote “multifaceted cooperation across diverse fields of India-Chinaengagement.”