Beijing’s senior diplomat Wang Yi warned Indonesian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar that “specific issues” shouldn’t “define the overall relationship” in Jakarta, reflecting ongoing disparities between how India and China approach advancing relations.
Mr. Jaishankar said that during Friday’s discussions, which the Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed were conducted at India’s request in a statement on Saturday, both parties “discussed outstanding issues related to peace & tranquillity in border areas.” The Minister sent a statement on Twitter stating, “Our conversation also covered EAS/ARF [ASEAN Regional Forum] agenda, BRICS and the Indo-Pacific.” Additionally, Mr. Jaishankar had emphasized the significance of peace on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as a prerequisite for normalcy in the larger relationship during bilateral talks with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang in March and May, and he had urged China to advance disengagement in two ongoing flashpoints.