Doklam was a serious test of ties, Chinese foreign minister tells Sushma Swaraj

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Dec 12, 2017 : China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in blunt remarks told External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday that the Doklam incident ’severely tested’ relations and ’lessons should be learned’.

 

Wang also said the development of ties in 2017 "was not very satisfactory", adding that "the cross-border trespassing of the Indian border guards was a serious test of bilateral relations".

"The matter was finally settled peacefully through diplomatic means... but the lessons should be learned and such incidents should be avoided," Wang said, according to a statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

His visit to Delhi for the Russia India China (RIC) meet is the first high level one from China after the 72 day standoff which ended on August 28.

Wang referred directly to Doklam and called to "strengthen strategic communication at all levels, restore the established dialogue mechanisms, deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields, and at the same time control the existing differences and safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas."

He didn’t say which mechanisms needed to be restored but both sides didn’t hold scheduled defence exercises this year.

Wang said both sides should also regard the other as "opportunities rather than challenges and as partners rather than as adversaries."

"Relations are at a crucial period and the most important thing is to build mutual trust. With mutual trust, the specific problems can be resolved on the basis of mutual understanding and mutual accommodation. Without mutual trust, individual problems will continue to grow and erode the overall situation of bilateral relations," Wang said.



courtesy: India Today