Beijing, July 14, 2025 – External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing on Monday, signaling a renewed phase of cooperation between the two nations. The visit marks Jaishankar’s first trip to China in five years, following a period of strained ties after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
🔹 “Noted the improvement in our bilateral ties and expressed confidence that discussions during my visit will maintain that positive trajectory,” Jaishankar wrote on X.
Key Highlights from the Meeting:
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🟨 India supports China’s SCO Presidency: Jaishankar reiterated India’s support for China’s leadership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
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🟨 Steady improvement in ties: He referenced the meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan (Oct 2024) as a turning point for better relations.
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🟨 75 Years of Diplomatic Relations: Jaishankar noted the milestone and said the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been widely welcomed in India.
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🟨 Call for open dialogue: Emphasizing regional stability, he called for an “open exchange of views” amid a complex international environment.
Strategic Meetings and Expectations:
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🟦 Jaishankar will attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Tianjin on July 15.
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🟦 He is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
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🟦 This visit follows earlier high-level meetings involving Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and NSA Ajit Doval.
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🟦 Wang Yi is likely to visit India next month for the Special Representatives (SR) dialogue aimed at resolving the boundary dispute.
Background Context:
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The Galwan Valley clash of 2020, the worst India-China border confrontation in over 40 years, had severely strained diplomatic ties.
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Recent developments, such as the revival of the SR mechanism and pilgrimage routes reopening, suggest both sides are easing into dialogue.
Outlook:
With Jaishankar’s visit, both sides appear to be testing waters for a new diplomatic era, balancing geopolitical competition with cautious cooperation. The coming weeks, especially Wang Yi’s visit to India, will indicate whether this “positive trajectory” has real momentum.
