India-China strategic dialogue: Top highlights

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar met China's top diplomat State Councillor Yang Jiechi on Wednesday to initiate the strategic dialogue between the two countries. China and India  held their upgraded strategic dialogue to shore up bilateral ties amid discussions to resolve differences over Beijing's reluctance to support Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) bid as well as a UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar.

According to a report by ‘The Indian Express’, the two-day talks between India and China failed to end deadlock between two countries on issues related to Masood Azhar’s listing as a global terrorist and India’s membership into the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). This strategic dialogue is the latest among over 30 dialogue mechanisms to have emerged over the years between the two countries in diverse areas. Here are some key highlights of the strategic talks:

1. India explained its rationale to China on the listing of Azhar under UN 1267 sanctions committee during this strategic talk.
 

2. Jaishankar said that China was open to India’s application for membership in NSG, though Beijing is caught up on its view of procedures and processes, which is unalike others in the grouping. 
 

3. On Afghanistan issue, Jaishankar said, “At the end of the discussion there was an understanding on how India and China can cooperate in capacity building in Afghanistan. On Afghanistan, they certainly seem to suggest to us that their approach and policies are in tandem with us, not on different page.”
 

4. Jaishankar said he has explained India's development efforts like Herath dam and electricity projects to China during the talk.
 

5. The discussions also took place on Africa, Iran and related international political situation.
 

6. Foreign Secretary said, “We were very frank with China in sharing what our concerns were and we share it in public.” While conveying India’s position, Jaishankar said, “I explained to China that India today is a pro connectivity country. We have connectivity initiatives with all sides and we are active participants (in) most of them.”
 

7. Jaishankar met Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui, and also touched the situation evolving in US after President Donald Trump took office.

Jaishankar described the visit as 'useful'and said that in terms of “forward progress”, there is recognition that the investment climate has improved in India.

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