At SCO Summit in China, Jaishankar Stresses Need for Sustained Engagement

Jaishankar Meets Chinese Vice President in Beijing, Calls for Open Dialogue Amid Global Challenges.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing and stressed the importance of open and candid dialogue between India and China, especially in the face of growing global complexities.

Jaishankar is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. During his meeting with Han, he expressed confidence that the ongoing discussions would help sustain the recent upswing in bilateral ties.

“Our relationship has seen steady improvement since the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan last October,” he said. “India fully supports a successful Chinese presidency of the SCO, and I believe this visit will maintain that positive momentum.”

He also noted that both countries recently marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations and welcomed the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra — a development appreciated widely in India.

Acknowledging the current state of international affairs, Jaishankar underlined the need for India and China — as neighbours and major economies — to maintain open channels of communication.

“The global situation is quite complex today. In such times, an open exchange of views between India and China is not just useful, but essential,” he said.