India and China sought Friday to patch up relations as Beijing's foreign minister visited Delhi for the first time since a deadly clash on the Asian giants' disputed Himalayan border.
The high-altitude brawl in June 2020 left 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops dead, leading to a sharp deterioration in relations with both sides sending major reinforcements to the area.
China's foreign ministry said after Wang Yi met Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday that both sides should "work together to promote peace and stability in the region and the world at large".
"When China and India speak with the same voice, the whole world will listen. The world will pay attention to the cooperation between China and India," it said in a statement.
"The two sides should strengthen communication and coordination, support each other, give out more positive signals for upholding multilateralism, and inject more positive energy into improving global governance."
Jaishankar struck a more cautious note, telling reporters that after 15 rounds of military commanders meeting since the 2020 clash progress had come at "a slower pace than desirable".
"The impact of the tension in border areas on the overall relationship has been visible in the last two years," he said.
"If you ask me is our relationship normal today, no it is not."
- 1962 war –
India and China fought a brief war in 1962 and have long had border disputes but 2020 was the first time soldiers had been killed there since 1975.
Delhi and Beijing have however found common ground in stopping short of condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, both abstaining in votes at the UN and calling only for peace.
In India's case this is despite pressure from its partners -- the United States, Japan and Australia -- in the "Quad" alliance seen as a bulwark against China.
"For China, it is in the Communist Party's regime interests and the ideological conflict with the West that drive its support for Russia," Jabin Jacob from Shiv Nadar University told AFP.
"India, meanwhile, has refrained from criticising Moscow because of its special historical relationship with Russia, including robust defence ties, which it will not want to imperil."
China is due to host an upcoming summit of the BRICS grouping -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- but Jaishankar did not say whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend.
He added India had not been invited to a foreign ministers' meeting about Afghanistan.
On Friday Wang, who travelled to India from Afghanistan -- his first visit since the Taliban took power -- left Delhi for Nepal, where China and India are vying for influence.
Last month Nepal's parliament approved a $500 million US grant despite objections from China.
India has traditionally been Nepal's main ally, but China has intensified its presence in the Himalayan nation, pumping millions of dollars into projects ranging from roads to hydropower plants.
In 2017, Nepal signed up to China's Belt and Road initiative.
AFP
