NEW DELHI: Even as Beijing has locked horns with New Delhi over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday greetings to the Dalai Lama and the Enforcement Directorate's action against Vivo, foreign minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi held cordial talks in Bali, Indonesia on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers’ meet on Thursday.
Tweeting about the meeting, Jaishankar said it was his first engagement after reaching Bali and that it lasted for one hour as both sides discussed “specific outstanding issues”. Jaishankar said he also raised the vexed issues of return of Indian students to China and resumption of direct flights.
In a separate statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said Jaishankar called for an early resolution of all the outstanding issues along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh. “Recalling the disengagement achieved in some friction areas, EAM reiterated the need to sustain the momentum to complete disengagement from all the remaining areas to restore peace and tranquility in the border areas.”
The two ministers agreed that the military and diplomatic officials of the two sides should be in regular contact, the MEA release added.
On his part, Wang said the two countries have maintained communication and exchanges, effectively managed differences, and the bilateral relations have “shown a momentum of recovery”.
On China’s criticism of PM Modi wishing the Dalai Lama on his 87th birthday on July 6, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “The PM wishes the Dalai Lama every year as he is an honoured guest and has been allowed all courtesies and freedom to practice his religion. The birthday greeting should be seen in the overall context.”