India, China agree to strengthen ties: External Affairs ministry on PM Modi, Xi meet

India Today

On Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the SCO Summit. The leaders discussed bilateral ties, highlighting steps to maintain border peace and boost cultural exchanges. Both affirmed their commitment to act as development partners instead of competitors.

Transcript

00:00The crucial bilateral meetups taking place between Prime Minister Modi and President Shri Jingping.

00:05Now, the Ministry of External Affairs has come out to issue a statement on the Modi-shi bilateral

00:10that's taken place only a few hours ago.

00:13The MEA has stated, and I quote,

00:15leaders agreed to resolve border issues.

00:18This is one of the key points that's come in as we speak.

00:22They've also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has underlined the importance of peace and tranquility

00:28on the border areas for continued development of bilateral relations.

00:32The two leaders have noted the satisfaction of the successful disengagement last year

00:37and the maintenance of peace and tranquility along the border areas since then.

00:42There are several other key points that have been made in this very statement

00:45which we will take a deep dive into as my colleague Geeta Mohan joins us on the broadcast to decode it further.

00:52Geeta, before I get into the very aspect of border issue

00:58which we've been discussing at length since morning, ever since the meeting was to take place,

01:04there is one point that I want to bring both our viewers' attention to as well as yours at this point

01:10is the fact that Prime Minister has noted that India and China both pursue a strategic autonomy

01:15and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens.

01:19Moreover, the two leaders have deemed it necessary to expand common ground

01:24on bilateral, regional and global issues and challenges

01:27like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms.

01:31This is a very key point given that it not only speaks of autonomy of both countries

01:37ensuring autonomy of both India and China

01:39but it also circles around terrorism which was a key subject matter when we speak of China.

01:44Well, absolutely. The Indian side very clear sources have told India today

01:51that Prime Minister Modi during his conversations with President Xi Jinping

01:57raised the issue of terrorism very emphatically.

02:00Now that's very important.

02:02Yes, both sides have been focusing on the issue of mutual trust, mutual respect

02:10but the fact of the matter is that at the end of the day, the two sides have to work beyond just talk,

02:17beyond just rhetoric and we are yet to see the Chinese side really walk the talk on whatever they have said.

02:24For now, the border remains calm but nobody has forgotten Galwan.

02:30So, at this point in time, while the statements have come in and we are looking at some forward movement,

02:36no expectations, the two sides want to work towards a space where they find common ground

02:45and are actually moving towards a working relationship.

02:51They have resolved to address the boundary question.

02:54They are looking at people-to-people connect where they are looking at visa facilitation yet again.

03:01Reiteration of the pilgrimage having begun, that is Kailash Mansar over Yatra.

03:06Bilateral investment is something that they want to see as expand rather than be curtailed

03:13which is what happened post Galwan.

03:15Both sides are looking at how to ensure fair trade

03:20but also more importantly, the issue of terrorism is again a very important aspect when it comes to the two sides

03:27and that's what is the focus of the talk this time around as well

03:32where Prime Minister Modi was rather emphatic.

03:35Then the two sides also discussed the issue of support for forums such as BRICS and SCO

03:42where we see a huge participation of Russia, India and China

03:47at a time when we are looking at massive tariff wars and a huge disruption globally.

03:53This is of rather importance where countries come together to find ways

04:00not just as an alternative but also as a space where unilateral decisions of a particular country

04:08we cannot further disrupt or create chaos in a working global order.

04:16The two sides have been engaged and are looking at further engagement.

04:20Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only had a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping

04:26he also met with the Premier of China, that is Mr. Kai Chi

04:32and again reiterating the desire to expand exchanges and improve relations.

04:38So these are areas of importance where both the countries are looking at stability

04:43in a multipolar world.

04:46The reiteration that you see from this meeting is not just of the two countries

04:52that have problems and are looking at forward movement

04:55but also India emphasizing the need for strategic autonomy.

04:59The fact that India should be allowed to and be able to engage countries

05:04that they see advantage for India itself.

05:11Whether it's China or for that matter

05:12the crucial meeting that will take place tomorrow

05:14that's India-Russia.

05:16So important development, important reiteration I would say

05:20but a reset is far from what we are looking at over here.

05:25A reset will only come about and it will be business as usual

05:29should there be absolute de-escalation at the border

05:33regarding the recent crisis during Galwan and post-Galwan.

05:38So a couple of points here.

05:39Whether the disengagement at this given point

05:42ends up becoming a full-blown de-escalation

05:44is something that we are waiting to watch at this point.

05:47But Geeta, you know, very important points that you've mentioned here

05:50when we speak of strategic autonomy and the reiteration by India

05:56of strategic autonomy, these two words come out to be very important

06:00so that when we speak of a multipolar world

06:04it shouldn't come out to a circumstance

06:07where China ends up replacing a certain country

06:10or rather a powerful nation in the West

06:14and doesn't take up that role in the East.

06:18Would you say that is what it translates to

06:20when we speak of the geopolitical landscape?

06:24Well, this is an important relationship.

06:28When you're looking at the geopolitical landscape itself

06:31at this point in time

06:32the relationship with China is a crucial one.

06:38Whether it's trade, the fact that China

06:41China is still the largest trading partner of India

06:43and is the largest trading partner

06:46of the United States of America as well.

06:48In fact, it's one of the largest trading partners

06:50of most countries including all of Europe.

06:54And that cannot be ignored

06:56when one is looking at the larger issue

06:58of how countries need to come together.

07:02You know, after the Galwan crisis

07:03or even after all the issues

07:06that countries in the West have had with China

07:09post-COVID, there was a need

07:12to look at supply chains,

07:14alternative supply chains,

07:15India, Vietnam were being considered.

07:18But we are still sometime away

07:21from becoming that alternative to China.

07:23And until the time that happens,

07:25it is not possible for India

07:28or for any country to absolutely ignore China.

07:31And that's a reality.

07:33But we are not coming,

07:34India is not engaging China

07:35from a position of disadvantage.

07:37India is engaging China

07:38from a position where

07:40both countries need each other.

07:42At this point in time,

07:43the tariff war is not just

07:45between India and the United States of America,

07:49it's between US and China as well.

07:52While there are trade talks

07:53that are taking place

07:54between countries

07:56with the United States of America,

07:58one has to wait and see

07:59whether there will be

08:00a conclusion of the trade talks

08:02with China before India.

08:04Now, that certainly will spell

08:05a lot of problems.

08:06But right now,

08:07we are also looking at

08:08how Russia, India, China,

08:10the countries that originally

08:13as an RIC bloc

08:15have engaged each other

08:17for years now.

08:18Will there be forward movement

08:20in cohesiveness

08:22that these countries show

08:23when it comes to multilateral agenda

08:26and multilateral interests?

08:28And in that,

08:29India is a major stakeholder

08:30as is China

08:31and so is Russia.

08:33So, SU, again,

08:35the major countries

08:36in this bloc

08:37are also Russia, China

08:39and then India as well.

08:41But then again,

08:42you know,

08:42you cannot take away

08:43from the fact

08:44that Prime Minister Modi

08:45was very, very clear

08:47about three things.

08:49Vishwas,

08:49samman,

08:50samveden shivata,

08:51which is mutual trust,

08:53mutual respect

08:54and sensitivity.

08:56Now, sensitivity

08:57is loaded here.

08:58It is not just to do

08:59with the fact

09:00that China has to look

09:02at the border issue

09:03with certain sensitivity

09:06and concerns

09:07that India has.

09:08It is so loaded

09:09because it talks about

09:10everything that is

09:11of concern to India

09:13and that China negates

09:15or ignores,

09:16which is not just

09:17a boundary question

09:18where we see

09:18transgressions

09:19time and again.

09:20It is Pakistan-occupied

09:22Kashmir

09:23through which

09:23the CPEC corridor runs.

09:25That's the China-Pakistan

09:26economic corridor.

09:27It is the eternal support

09:29to Pakistan

09:30irrespective of

09:31where Pakistan stands

09:32in the international order

09:34when it comes

09:34to abetting terrorism.

09:36It is blocking

09:37all the moves

09:38of India,

09:39the United Nations

09:39Security Council

09:40when it comes to terrorism.

09:42So while the two sides

09:43are talking about terrorism,

09:44while tomorrow

09:45the emphasis

09:46is going to be

09:47counter-terrorism

09:47under SCO

09:48which also has

09:49a RAPS forum

09:50the regional forum

09:52anti-terrorist structure,

09:54despite all of that,

09:57we will see

09:58a lot of problems

10:00in consensus

10:01because in that room

10:03exists Pakistan.

10:04And remember,

10:05even when there is

10:06a room

10:06where China

10:07and India

10:08are sitting,

10:09in that room also

10:10there is

10:11the existence

10:12of Pakistan,

10:14an entity

10:14that will always

10:15remain very close

10:16to China.

10:17So that sensitivity

10:18does not only

10:19have to do

10:19with boundary

10:20or border,

10:21it has to do

10:22with Pakistan

10:22as well.

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