Chinese Media Stresses 'Fresh Start' Amid Jaishankar Visit, But Flags 'Sensitive' Boundary Issue

Last Updated:July 15, 2025, 08:41 IST

A Chinese state-run editorial hailed EAM S Jaishankar's Beijing visit as a diplomatic breakthrough, calling for improved India-China ties while accusing the US of exploiting rifts.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in Beijing, China (Photo: PTI)

India and China have a great potential for improving their bilateral relations, however, the boundary remains sensitive, an editorial piece with the Chinese state-run outlet Global Times suggested on Tuesday, also accusing the United States of exploiting the gaps between the two countries.

The piece comes in the backdrop of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to China, where he met multiple leaders, and said that India and China should build on “good progress" in normalising the bilateral ties to address border-related issues, including de-escalation.

Jaishankar also said that “it was essential to avoid restrictive trade measures and roadblocks".

In the wake of the development, the Global Times stated, “There are still many concrete issues that China and India need to address. This also means there is great potential for improving bilateral relations."

However, referring to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) standoff, the piece mentioned, “The boundary question remains the most sensitive and complex issue in their relationship."

“Meanwhile, some countries like the US have long sought to exploit gaps and drive wedges between China and India in an attempt to hinder their common development, adding another layer of disturbance to the relationship," it stated.

The Global Times stressed that the improvement of bilateral relations between India and China is the right and beneficial path.

“It is not hard to see that China and India currently share a notable consensus – the continued improvement of bilateral relations is both the right path and a beneficial one," it stated.

Also calling Jaishankar’s visit to China in five years a “breakthrough in high-level diplomatic engagement", the piece mentioned that the efforts to restore the normal mechanisms of communication between the two sides should be viewed positively.

“But the steady improvement of China-India relations – especially their long-term, healthy, and stable development – still requires both sides to build resilient strategic trust based on mutual respect for each other’s core concerns," it added.

Emphasising that China “remains committed to the path of peaceful development, viewing its neighbours not as competitors but as partners in pursuit of common development and mutual success", the Global Times mentioned that the “resumption of direct flights, restarting people-to-people exchanges, and boosting academic and think tank visits will help cultivate more genuine and lasting mutual trust at the societal level."

“If the two countries can further strengthen coordination in jointly addressing global challenges, they will inject greater stability into the processes of world multipolarity and South-South cooperation," the piece added.

The editorial also mentioned that the relations between India and China would not improve overnight, and that mutual trust cannot be achieved through a meeting or a joint statement.

“The window for dialogue in China-India relations is now being opened; seizing the opportunity to build trust is the most important task at this moment. As two Asia’s most influential countries, cooperation will continue to outweigh differences in the long run," it stated.

EAM JAISHANKAR’s REMARKS IN BEIJING

In his opening remarks during his meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Beijing said the bilateral relations can develop in a “positive trajectory" on the foundation that differences should not become disputes and nor should competition become a conflict.

Also speaking at the event, Wang said India and China should find a way for mutual respect and trust, peaceful coexistence, common development and win-win cooperation.

The two sides should stand on high ground, seek long-term strategies, adhere to the direction of good-neighbourliness and friendship, and realise the “Dragon-Elephant Dance", he said.

China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with India to jointly safeguard the multilateral trading system, the stability of the global production and supply chains, Wang added.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi described the talks as “constructive and forward-looking" and said the two sides agreed to take “additional practical steps", including travel to each other’s country and direct flight connectivity, for facilitating people-to-people exchanges.

Jaishankar met Wang hours after he landed in China on a two-day visit to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

It is his first visit to the neighbouring country since bilateral ties witnessed a severe downturn following the Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020.

Jaishankar also held talks with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and conveyed to him that continued normalisation of bilateral ties can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes.

INDIA-CHINA TENSIONS

The military standoff in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020, and a deadly clash at the Galwan Valley in June that year resulted in a severe strain in ties between the two neighbours.

In the last nine months, India and China have been engaged in normalising their relations after ending the military face-off along the LAC in October last year.

Though the two sides disengaged troops from the friction points, they have yet to de-escalate the situation by pulling back the frontline forces from the border.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the eastern Ladakh region.

Last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached an important consensus at their meeting in Kazan, which pointed out the direction for the improvement and development of China-India relations.

The Modi-Xi meeting came two days after India and China firmed up a disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok.

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

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News world Chinese Media Stresses 'Fresh Start' Amid Jaishankar Visit, But Flags 'Sensitive' Boundary Issue