Hope wisdom dawns on China: Jaishankar on LAC row

August 18, 2022 20:07

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday that the relationship between India and China is going through an "extremely difficult phase" after what Beijing has done at the border and emphasised that the Asian Century will not happen if the two neighbours could not join hands.

Jaishankar made the remarks while responding to a series of questions after delivering a lecture on 'India's Vision of the Indo-Pacific' at the prestigious Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

Responding to a question, Jaishankar said that the Asian Century will happen when China and India come together but the Asian Century will be difficult to happen if India and China could not come together.

"At the moment (the India-China) relationship is going through an extremely difficult phase after what China did at the border," he said.

Chinese and Indian troops are engaged in a prolonged standoff in Eastern Ladakh.

The two sides have so far held 16 rounds of Corps Commander Level talks to resolve the standoff which erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas.

"I think if India and China have to come together, there are many reasons to do so, not necessarily only Sri Lanka," he said, adding that it is in India and China's own interest to join hands.

"We very much hope that wisdom dawns on the Chinese side," he said while replying to another question from the audience.

Jaishankar said India has done the best of its abilities to assist Sri Lanka. This year alone India has extended USD 3.8 billion of support to Sri Lanka, including line of credits and swap arrangements, he said.

Sri Lanka, a nation of 22 million, is in the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis that has led to severe shortages of fuel and other essentials. The Sri Lankan government is negotiating with the IMF for a bailout package.

"Any help we can give to Sri Lanka at the IMF that we will naturally do," Jaishankar said.

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