What to Expect from EAM Jaishankar's Upcoming Visit to Singapore and China?

EAM Jaishankar's Diplomatic Journey Begins

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to commence a three-day diplomatic mission to Singapore and China starting this Sunday.

The primary purpose of his trip to China is to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave, which will take place in Tianjin, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

This marks Jaishankar's inaugural visit to China since the significant deterioration of relations following the military standoff in 2020 along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

According to the MEA, "External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will be visiting Singapore and the People's Republic of China from July 13 to 15."

During his time in Singapore, he is expected to engage with his counterpart and other key leaders, continuing the ongoing diplomatic exchanges between the two nations.

Following his Singapore visit, Jaishankar will head to China to attend the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers' Meeting (CFM) in Tianjin, as stated by the ministry.

He is also anticipated to conduct bilateral discussions alongside the CFM.

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval had previously visited Beijing in December for a Special Representatives dialogue regarding boundary issues with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Doval's recent trip to China last month was for a meeting involving top security officials from SCO member countries.

Jaishankar's visit comes shortly after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's trip to Qingdao, China, for the SCO defence ministers' conference.

As the current chair of the SCO, China is hosting these significant meetings.

The military standoff in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020, culminating in a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in June, which severely impacted relations between the two nations.

The tensions began to ease following the completion of the disengagement process at the last two friction points, Demchok and Depsang, under an agreement finalized on October 21 of the previous year.

In recent months, both India and China have taken steps to mend their bilateral relations.

The revival of the Special Representatives mechanism and other dialogue formats was agreed upon during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan on October 23.

This meeting occurred just two days after India and China solidified a disengagement agreement for Depsang and Demchok.