8 steps to repair China ties: EAM
The clash at the SinoIndian border in the Galwan valley of the Ladakh sector last year has put the bilateral relationship “under exceptional stress” with China having showed a “willingness to breach peace and tranquillity”, external affairs minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar said on Thursday, even 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 various concerns of the two countries “cannot be onesided”.
He was delivering 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 Sino-Indian ties, the EAM 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, where the handling of the border areas are concerned, 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.”
Jaishankar added, “Fourth, while both nations are committed to a multi-polar world, there should be a recognition that a multi-polar 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.”
“The events in Eastern Ladakh last year have so profoundly disturbed the relationship. Because 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,” Jaishankar said.
“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 that 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.