Jaishankar Meets Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong, Says 'Discussed Bilateral Ties, Common Interest'

Xu Feihong said he was honoured to call on S Jaishankar and added that he exchanged views on China-India relations and other issues of common interest.  

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong. ( Image Source :X/Jaishankar )

Despite the ongoing border standoff that entered its fourth year this May, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Xu Feihong, Chinese Ambassador to India, on Tuesday.

"Discussed our bilateral relationship and our common interest in its stabilization and progress. Wished him a successful tenure," Jaishankar said in a post on X.

Received Ambassador of China Xu Feihong this evening.

Discussed our bilateral relationship and our common interest in its stabilization and progress.

Wished him a successful tenure. pic.twitter.com/JTbYUs0N1e

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 25, 2024

Xu Feihong officially took charge as China's envoy to India on May 31. 

He said he was honoured to call on S Jaishankar and added that he exchanged views on China-India relations and other issues of common interest.  

"Honored to call on External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar today. We exchanged views on China-India relations and other issues of common interest. Thanks for his best wishes. Look forward to working with the Indian side to push forward the development of China-India relations towards the right direction," Xu Feihong said in a post on X.

Honored to call on External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar today. We exchanged views on China-India relations and other issues of common interest. Thanks for his best wishes. Look forward to working with the Indian side to push forward the development of China-India relations… pic.twitter.com/LQtRf9Cva4

— Xu Feihong (@China_Amb_India) June 25, 2024

The senior diplomat is the 17th Chinese ambassador to India and was appointed by President Xi Jinping last month after an unusual delay of 18 months amid frosty ties between the two countries.

Recently, the Chinese Ambassador criticised Western countries for their labelling of Chinese goods as "overcapacity".

He has worked at the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs as an assistant foreign minister from February 2021 till 2023 after he was removed for unexplained reasons.

He has also served as the Ambassador to Afghanistan between 2011 and 2013 and Romania between 2015 and 2018.

The bilateral relations between India and China have not seen any progress ever since the border standoff in eastern Ladakh in May 2020, with the faceoff spreading across the entire Line of Actual Control (LAC).   

Four years have passed since the violent clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Ladakh's Galwan Valley, yet the border standoff remains unresolved despite numerous military and diplomatic engagements.

Since 2020, there have been no bilateral talks that have taken place between PM Modi and Xi Jinping. The last time the two leaders were seen shaking hands with each other and exchanging pleasantries was during the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia in 2022.

However, Xu Feihong has expressed his willingness to take forward bilateral ties. “I will make my due contribution to the improvement and development of China-India relations,” Xu has said.