China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Beijing on Monday. After their talks, Wang said both countries should work to build mutual trust and pursue cooperation that benefits both sides. He emphasized the need for good-neighbourliness, respect, peaceful coexistence, and common development to restore friendly ties.
The meeting comes as China and India try to repair their strained relationship following a serious border clash in 2020. This clash resulted in a four-year military standoff along their 3,500-kilometre shared border, one of the longest in the world. In October 2024, both countries agreed on joint patrols in disputed areas to ease tensions, and their leaders, Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi, held a long-awaited summit to improve relations.
China and India are the world’s two most populous nations and regional competitors, vying for influence in South Asia. India remains concerned about China’s growing presence in the strategically important Indian Ocean, which India considers its sphere of influence. This rivalry adds complexity to their efforts at peaceful cooperation.
A major sticking point between the two is the issue of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader residing in India since fleeing a 1959 Chinese crackdown. China insists it must approve the Dalai Lama’s successor, while the Dalai Lama’s India-based organization claims sole authority over this decision. This issue remains a sensitive and unresolved point of tension.
Despite these challenges, both sides expressed hope for stronger collaboration. Wang’s call for “win-win” cooperation signals a cautious step toward reducing conflict and working together for peaceful development and mutual benefits in the future.