Hope China follows independent policy on India: Jaishankar on Wang Yi's OIC remark
Mar 25, 2022
New Delhi [India], March 25 : External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said on Friday that the remark made by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the OIC meet, which had sparked a strong response from New Delhi, featured in the delegation-level talks between the two ministers.
Speaking to reporters here after the talks between the two ministers, Jaishankar said he conveyed that India hopes that China would follow an independent policy in respect to New Delhi and will not allow its policies to be influenced by other countries.
"Did the issue of what Minister Wang Yi said at the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) Conference come up? Yes, it did. I referred to it. I explained to him, why we found that statement objectionable. It was a subject discussed at some length. There was a larger context as well," Jaishankar told reporters after delegation-level talks with the Chinese Foreign Minister.
"I conveyed that we hope that China would follow an independent policy in respect of India and not allow its policies to be influenced by other countries and other relationships," said Jaishankar.
Jaishankar said that the Chinese Foreign Minister expressed a desire to return of the bilateral ties to normalcy, but he conveyed that India wants stable and predictable relations.
"(Chinese) Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed a desire to return (of the bilateral relationship) to normalcy but also referred to the larger significance of our ties. I was equally forthcoming that India wants a stable and predictable relationship but restoration of normalcy will require the restoration of peace and tranquillity," he added.
Wang Yi's visit comes shortly after India rejected his remarks on Kashmir at the OIC meeting in Islamabad. India had also said that other countries, including China, have no locus standi to comment on India's internal affairs.
Before meeting Jaishankar, Wang Yi met National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.
NSA Doval told the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister that there has to be "early and complete disengagement" in border areas for Indo-China ties to move forward.
