India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stated that 75 per cent of disengagement issues with China have been resolved. However, he acknowledged that "some things still remain to be done."
He made these remarks during a conversation with Ambassador Jean-David Levitte at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy on Thursday.
Jaishankar emphasized the long-standing complexities of India-China relations, noting that "we did not have an easy relationship in the past." He pointed out the 2020 Galwan Valley incident, when Chinese troops violated multiple agreements by moving a large number of forces to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), prompting a corresponding response from India.
He commented, "What happened in 2020 was in violation of multiple agreements, the Chinese moved a large number of troops to the Line of Actual Control. We, in response, moved our troops up." He further added, "Some progress on border talks with China. 75 per cent of disengagement problems are sorted out. We still have some things to do."
The External Affairs Minister also highlighted that if disengagement is fully achieved and peace is restored along the LAC, both nations could explore further opportunities for cooperation. "If there is a solution to disengagement and there is a return to peace and tranquillity, we can look at other possibilities. That is the immediate issue," he said.
Describing the India-China relationship as "complex," Jaishankar pointed to the broader economic and trade challenges between the two countries. He remarked that the economic ties with China have been "unfair and imbalanced," citing India's lack of market access in China compared to China's relatively better access in India.
He also touched on other concerns, such as the impact of China’s rise on its neighbors and the challenges in sectors like technology, telecom, and digital industries. "We have many concerns today in various areas, like technology, telecom, and digital," he said.
Jaishankar's comments come in the wake of the 31st meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs, held in Beijing on August 29. During this meeting, both sides had a "frank, constructive and forward-looking" discussion on the LAC situation and agreed to uphold peace and tranquillity in the border areas, adhering to bilateral agreements and protocols. The two countries also agreed to intensify diplomatic and military engagement to address the remaining issues.
Apart from the border situation, Jaishankar acknowledged the long-standing "struggle" in trade relations with China. He reiterated that the economic relationship had been "unfair," with India facing limited market access in China. He remarked that "the economic relationship with China has been very unfair. It has been very imbalanced that we don't have market access there. They have much better market access here in India."
The External Affairs Minister’s visit to Switzerland follows his diplomatic engagements in Germany and Saudi Arabia. In Berlin, Jaishankar met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, where he conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personal greetings to the German leader.
