Chinese Vignettes: China and India should be partners, not adversaries, according to China’s Foreign Minister

*Paromita Das

Much is going on in China, both domestically and globally. While China strives to reconcile its problems with its neighbor India, Western parliamentarians have urged China to act as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine dispute, which is now in its third week.

This week in China

India and China have a long history of ups and downs. The bilateral relationship hit rock bottom in 2020, when both sides forces clashed violently in the Galwan Valley. Following the fatal confrontation, both sides steadily increased their personnel by deploying additional soldiers and heavy equipment.

On the sidelines of their annual parliament meeting on Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi acknowledged that the two countries had’suffered some setbacks’ and called for border differences to be resolved through consultation because the’situation does not serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples.’

The minister went on to say that “certain forces” have always tried to incite violence among neighbors. However, the two countries, which account for one-third of the world’s population, can control their fate and fulfill their ambitions “only by remaining independent.”

On Friday, India and China held their 15th round of high-level military discussions in an effort to “move forward,” limit their differences, and find an acceptable solution to the blocked issues.

According to a joint statement issued by the two governments, they continued their discussions from the last meeting held on January 12. While the mood was upbeat, the 13-hour meeting failed to produce any immediate results. However, we hope to remedy the issues as soon as possible.

That is not the end of China’s story. The country has become entangled in the continuing battle in the West.

China has chosen to stay diplomatically neutral in the Russia-Ukraine dispute. However, the policy of ‘not intervening’ does not sit well with European legislators, who have identified Beijing as a potential peacemaker in the crisis, given President Xi and President Putin’s close relations.

“We cannot, without a doubt, act as mediators… It also cannot be the United States. Who else is there? I am confident that it is China “Josep Borrell, the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Chief, said after speaking with Wang Yi on the phone.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also stated that “China is interested in ending this war, Chinese diplomacy has the means to make a difference, and we believe that it is already active.”

During his call with French President Macron and German Chancellor Scholz, President Xi made it plain that Beijing has been skeptical of Western sanctions imposed on Russia.

Despite its vow to preserve normal commercial relations with Russia, China is reportedly considering purchasing or growing shares in Russian energy and other corporations, such as Gazprom, to safeguard its imports. While it maintains “rock strong” connections with Russia, it encourages “utmost prudence” to avert a large-scale humanitarian disaster.

China in international media

Tensions between China and the United States are once again high, with the former accusing the latter of going to “great lengths” to engage in continual competition between the two countries. According to the South China Morning Post, US President Joe Biden has urged Congress to give him legislation to boost the country’s competitiveness against China.

Beijing also stated that Washington’s persistent involvement in China’s internal affairs will only deteriorate relations between the two nations, and as a result, such immature measures will threaten international peace and stability.

Furthermore, China has blamed the US for stoking the Russia-Ukraine war. Beijing repeated that Washington had failed to take into account Moscow’s “legitimate” security concerns about NATO’s continued eastward expansion.

At a news conference on Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused an unnamed “major power” of still having a “Cold War mentality” and attempting to preserve its hegemonic position. Furthermore, China has stated unequivocally that it rejects any sort of bullying by major powers and is dedicated to pushing international governance to achieve greater equality.