New Delhi: China has promised to address three of India’s key concerns — rare earths, fertilisers, and tunnel boring machines, according to sources. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi gave the assurance to External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar during talks in New Delhi on Monday. Wang Yi arrived in India for a two-day visit, with discussions covering economic and trade issues, pilgrimages, people-to-people contacts, river data sharing, border trade, connectivity and bilateral exchanges. Jaishankar also followed up on concerns he had raised during his July visit to China. In his opening remarks, Jaishankar stressed that as neighbouring nations and major economies, India and China must avoid restrictive trade measures and roadblocks. He said stable and constructive ties between the two countries would benefit not only them but the world at large, and should be guided by mutual respect, interest, and sensitivity. The minister also noted that differences should not become disputes, nor competition lead to conflict. He said Wang Yi’s visit provided an opportunity to review bilateral ties and exchange views on the global situation and issues of mutual interest. Relations between India and China soured after the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in April–May 2020. Some disengagement agreements have eased tensions, and ahead of the 2024 BRICS Summit, the two sides agreed on new patrolling arrangements along the LAC. With geopolitical flux amid the Ukraine conflict and US tariffs under President Donald Trump, Jaishankar said there is an urgent need to enhance stability in the global economy. Wang Yi’s visit also comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expected trip to Tianjin, China, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit from August 31 to September.
Source link
