China, India should work towards 'win-win' cooperation: Chinese FM

Defence affairs analysis

China and India must build mutual trust and pursue “win-win” cooperation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday, following talks with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Beijing.

In remarks reported by state-run Xinhua news agency, Wang called on both countries to “adhere to the direction of good-neighborliness and friendship” and “find a way for mutual respect and trust, peaceful coexistence, common development and win-win cooperation.”

The meeting comes as Asia’s two most populous nations seek to mend relations damaged by a deadly 2020 border clash.

Border standoff lingers

China and India share a 3,500-kilometer (2,200-mile) frontier that has long been a flashpoint between the nuclear-armed rivals. A violent skirmish in the Galwan Valley in 2020 left soldiers dead on both sides and triggered a prolonged military standoff.

Although tensions eased slightly after an agreement in October allowed patrols in disputed areas to resume, many issues remain unresolved.

In a sign of improving dialogue, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met later that same month, their first meeting in five years, and pledged to work on rebuilding ties.

Dalai Lama dispute

The 90-year-old Dalai Lama remains a deeply contentious issue in the bilateral relationship. India has hosted the Tibetan spiritual leader since 1959, when he fled Lhasa after Chinese troops crushed a Tibetan uprising.

China considers the exiled leader a separatist and insists it will have the final say in appointing his successor.

The Dalai Lama, however, has stated that only his India-based organization has the legitimate authority to choose his reincarnation, a stance that continues to infuriate Beijing.

Diplomatic balancing

Despite the disputes, both sides appear intent on keeping lines of communication open.

Monday’s meeting signals a cautious step toward stabilizing a fraught relationship that carries major implications for regional security and global diplomacy.