India’s China ties under ‘exceptional stress’: Jaishankar
8-pt formula mooted as way ahead
The clash between Indian and Chinese troops at Ladakh’s Galwan Valley in June last year has put the India-China bilateral relationship “under exceptional stress”, with China showing a “willingness to breach peace and tranquillity”, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar said Thursday, as he advanced “eight broad propositions” for the “benefit of both nations” to repair ties, including that “any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo is completely unacceptable” and that “sensitivity” to the two countries’ concerns “cannot be one-sided”. The minister was giving the keynote address at the 13th All India Conference of China Studies organised jointly by the Institute of Chinese Studies and the IIT Madras China Studies Centre.
On his “eight propositions” to repair the damaged relationship, Mr Jaishankar said: “We can seek proper guidance that will be to the benefit of both nations. These can be summed up by eight broad propositions. First and foremost, agreements already reached must be adhered to in their entirety, both in letter and spirit. Second, in handling of the border areas, the LAC must be strictly observed and respected; any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo is completely unacceptable. Third, peace and tranquillity in the border areas is the basis for development of relations in other domains. If they are disturbed, so inevitably will the rest of the relationship. This is quite apart from the issue of progress in the boundary negotiations.”
The minister added: “Fourth, while both
nations are committed to a multipolar world, there should be a recognition that a multipolar Asia is one of its essential constituents. Fifth, obviously each state will have its own interests, concerns and priorities; but sensitivity to them cannot be one-sided. At the end of the day, relationships between major states are reciprocal in nature. Sixth, as rising powers, each will have their own set of aspirations and their pursuit too cannot be ignored. Seventh, there will always be divergences and differences, but their management is essential to our ties. And eighth, civilisational states like India and China must always take the long view.”
Mr Jaishankar said: “The events in eastern Ladakh last year have so profoundly disturbed the relationship… They not only signalled a disregard for commitments about minimising troop levels, but also showed a willingness to breach peace and tranquillity. The events of 2020 have actually put our relationship under exceptional stress.”
“The development of our ties can only be based on mutuality. Indeed, the three mutuals -- mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests -are its determining factors. Any expectation they can be brushed aside, and that life can carry on undisturbed despite the situation at the border, that is simply not realistic,” he added.
The minister also termed China’s decades-old betterdeveloped border infrastructu-re as “consequential” in the context of last year’s events.
◗ THE MINISTER also termed China’s decadesold better-developed border infra as ‘consequential’ in the context of last year’s events