India and China Unite to Uphold G20 Integrity Amid Global Divisions

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) - Amid the absurd statements of US President Donald Trump on the BRICS group, India has emphasized on maintaining the integrity of the G-20 group. China has also agreed to this call of India. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Friday emphasized the joint efforts of India and China in maintaining the integrity of the G-20 group amid the "polarized" global situation. Jaishankar is in Johannesburg on a two-day visit to South Africa to attend the meeting of foreign ministers of G-20 countries.

"We should recognize that in a polarized global situation, both countries have worked hard to preserve and safeguard the G20 as an institution. This in itself proves the importance of international cooperation," he said in his address during a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting here. South Africa is hosting the G20 for 2025, and this meeting will mark the start of a series of events scheduled throughout the year. As the premier forum for international economic cooperation, the G20 plays a vital role in helping the global economy overcome the challenges it faces. The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US, the African Union and the European Union. According to a press release issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang said that following the successful meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kazan, Russia last year, exchanges at all levels between the two countries have been restored in an orderly manner.

Wang said that a consensus has been reached on resolving specific differences in a proper manner in the meeting of special representatives on border issues. Wang and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval are special representatives for the India-China border mechanism. The two countries met in December last year and agreed to take steps to maintain peace on the border and keep India-China relations stable. Wang said that this is in line with the common expectations of the people of both countries to restore mutual trust. At the same time, Jaishankar said that forums like the G-20 have provided opportunities for India and China to talk even during challenging periods in their bilateral relations. He said, "Such meetings provided an opportunity for dialogue between us, even when our relations were going through a difficult phase." Jaishankar said, "Our NSA (National Security Advisor) and Foreign Secretary have visited China and various aspects of our relations have been discussed. This includes managing peace and stability in the border areas as well as other dimensions of our relations. I am happy to exchange views today."

He noted that India and China are members of the G-20, SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) and BRICS. In his address, Wang described the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping last year as the "most important thing of the past year" in bilateral relations. He said, "This relationship is moving further in the direction of improvement."