China to India: Doklam standoff placed "severe pressure" on ties
The Doklam stand-off had placed "severe pressure" on Sino-Indian ties, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj during their meeting in New Delhi. However, Wang acknowledged that the standoff was resolved two months later through diplomatic means. He stressed that lessons must be learned and such incidents should be avoided in the future.
What was the Doklam standoff?
On July 18, Indian troops objected to China's attempts at building a road towards the Jampheri ridge in Doklam, a Bhutanese territory claimed by Beijing. This culminated in the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops. The Indian troops were acting on Bhutan's invitation. On August 28, the Doklam standoff ended with both India and China agreeing to pull back their troops.
Wang says India and China need to cultivate trust
Wang said, "The stand-off put the bilateral relations under severe pressure." He said Sino-Indian ties have reached a crucial stage in which the most important component is the need to cultivate mutual trust. He noted that Indian and Chinese leaders have a shared view that treats the other's development as opportunities rather than challenges. Wang believes India and China are partners, not rivals.
Wang says India and China must manage differences effectively
Wang said both India and China should appropriately manage their differences to work towards maintaining peace and tranquillity in border regions. He highlighted the improvement bilateral strategic communications and the restoration of dialogue mechanisms for deeper cooperation. Wang is the first top Chinese official to visit New Delhi since the resolution of the Doklam standoff and since President Xi Jinping commenced his second term.
