New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday emphasised on the “common interest” in “stabilisation and progress” in India-China relations during a meeting with Chinese ambassador Xu Feihong, amid the lingering border row in eastern Ladakh.
Jaishankar also separately met envoys of New Zealand, Kuwait and Sri Lanka.
“Received Ambassador of China Xu Feihong this evening. Discussed our bilateral relationship and our common interest in its stabilization and progress. Wished him a successful tenure,” the external affairs minister said on ‘X’.
The external affairs minister has consistently been maintaining that India’s ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas.
Following the meeting with Jaishankar, the Chinese ambassador said he was looking forward to working with the Indian side to push forward the development of China-India relations towards the “right direction”.
“Honored to call on External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar today. We exchanged views on China-India relations and other issues of common interest,” the envoy said on ‘X’.
“Thanks for his best wishes. Look forward to working with the Indian side to push forward the development of China-India relations towards the right direction,” he said.
Xu arrived in Delhi on May 10 after the position of Chinese ambassador in India remained vacant for nearly 18 months, the longest such gap in over four decades.
The envoy presented his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu on May 31 along with a number of newly-appointed foreign envoys.
The ties between the two countries nosedived significantly following a fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.
As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in 2021 on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.
On his meeting with Sri Lankan High Commissioner Kshenuka D Senewiratne, Jaishankar said they discussed recent developments in bilateral relations, including his visit to Colombo recently.
Jaishankar also held a separate meeting with Kuwait envoy Meshal Mustafa Jasim Alshemali and discussed bilateral issues and interests of the Indian community.
Forty-six Indians had died in a recent fire incident in southern Kuwait.
“Good to receive Ambassador Meshal Mustafa Jasim Alshemali of Kuwait this afternoon. Discussed our bilateral relations, interests of the Indian community and welfare of Indian workers in Kuwait,” Jaishankar said.
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