Antonio Guterres Welcomes India-China Agreement To Strengthen Bilateral Relations

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the recent agreement between India and China to enhance bilateral relations and address border issues. His spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, expressed on Wednesday that the UN recognizes this as a positive outcome of diplomatic efforts between the two nations.

Dujarric stated, “We welcome the positive result of this effort of bilateral – a very important bilateral – diplomacy.” He further added that we should salute the effort of settling international disputes through bilateral negotiations.

The agreement comes after a five-year hiatus in high-level talks between the two countries.

India’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Beijing on Monday for the 23rd Special Representatives (SR) meeting, resuming the regular consultation that the 2020 military conflict between India and China had suspended.

After the meeting, India’s External Affairs Ministry noted, “They agreed on the salience of stable, predictable, and amicable India-China relations for regional and global peace and prosperity.”

“They provided positive directions for cross-border cooperation and exchanges including resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, data sharing on trans-border rivers and border trade,” the Ministry added.

The resumption of this high-level dialogue follows an agreement between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan in October.

Dujarric pointed out that unresolved international disputes often dominate global headlines, while countries successfully resolve many others.

He asserted that many international disputes get resolved, either through UN mediation or bilateral efforts, and these should be covered and celebrated.

India & China Agree On Key Cooperation Initiatives After 2020 Border Tensions

On Wednesday, India and China agreed to take ‘positive directions’ for enhancing cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, sharing data on trans-border rivers, and promoting border trade during National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval’s visit to Beijing.

The decision followed the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives (SRs) of India and China, attended by NSA Doval and Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and China’s Foreign Minister.

The meeting in Beijing marks the first significant talks between India and China since tensions arose in the Western Sector of their border areas in 2020.

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