Jaishankar’s China Visit: Signs of Thaw as India Extends Support for SCO Leadership

National News: In a significant diplomatic move, India's Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar arrived in China on a three-day official visit. His trip is aimed at attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers' summit in Tianjin. This marks Jaishankar’s first visit to China in the past five years—a period that has seen turbulence in bilateral ties.

Soon after arriving in Beijing, Jaishankar met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng. Following their meeting, he shared an update on social media, stating, “Pleasure to meet Vice President Han Zheng right after arriving in Beijing. Expressed India’s support for China’s SCO presidency. We noted recent progress in bilateral relations and shared hope that this visit would sustain that positive trend.”

Key Highlights from Jaishankar's Statement

During his initial interaction, Jaishankar made the following points:

• India strongly backs China’s current leadership role as the SCO Chair.
• Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan last October, relations between the two countries have gradually improved.
• The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra route has received widespread appreciation across India.
• In today’s complex global climate, maintaining open and constructive communication between neighboring nations like India and China is essential.
• He expressed optimism that discussions during his visit would help take mutual cooperation forward.

What Did Han Zheng Say?

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng recognized that both India and China are significant developing nations and key representatives of the Global South. He emphasized:

• The two countries should act as enablers of each other’s success.
• The idea of a "Dragon-Elephant Tango" symbolizes potential strategic synergy between the two nations.
• Both governments should implement the strategic understandings reached at the highest levels.
• Continuous practical cooperation and mutual respect are key to ensuring sustainable, stable, and healthy bilateral ties.

Why This Visit Matters

This high-level visit is taking place amidst lingering tensions following the 2020 Galwan Valley conflict, which had strained India-China relations considerably. However, efforts on both sides are underway to reduce hostilities and restart constructive engagement. Jaishankar’s China trip follows recent visits by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who had also traveled to China in June for SCO-related talks.

Adding to the momentum, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit India next month to engage in special representative-level negotiations on the long-standing boundary dispute.

A Window for Peace Amidst Past Strains

Jaishankar’s presence in China is being viewed as a hopeful gesture aimed at restoring balance in a fragile relationship. While both sides continue to disagree on key issues like border security, mutual cooperation on multilateral platforms such as SCO is emerging as a diplomatic bridge. The world will be watching to see if this visit opens a fresh chapter in Indo-China ties, fostering not just regional stability but also deeper understanding between two Asian giants.