Wang Yi on India-China Relations

Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister, consistently articulates a position favoring the sustained, healthy, and steady development of India-China relations, emphasizing that the essence of the relationship lies in harmony and mutual success between the two major Eastern civilizations and emerging economies. He stresses the need to implement the consensus reached by the respective national leaders, which charts the direction for improvement, focusing on mutual respect, trust, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. The Minister explicitly calls for both sides to build mutual trust over suspicion, pursue cooperation over competition, and avoid mutual attrition, framing the relationship as not being directed against any third party. He views the current period as crucial, especially marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2025, which should be used to cherish the sustained improvement achieved since past low points.

He frames the relationship within a broader global context, urging both nations to act as major countries, set an example for the Global South, and jointly safeguard multilateralism and a more just international order against rampant unilateralism and bullying. A key component of this pragmatic approach involves properly managing differences, especially concerning the boundary question, by adhering to past agreements while advancing effective border management and de-escalation. Furthermore, he supports the resumption of various official dialogue mechanisms and practical cooperation, including restarting direct flights and trade, signaling a commitment to moving relations back onto the main course of cooperation following past strains.