External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that India sought a relationship with China but one that was built on mutual respect. His comments were made at a press briefing on Wednesday in Washington DC in the context of Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong claiming that the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was moving towards being “normalised” and “overall stable”. Mr. Jaishankar had said earlier — such as in Bengaluru in August — that the relationship with China was not normal and could not be normal as the border situation was not normal.
“No, look, I think, if the spokesperson [sic] of a foreign ministry were to say something, I would urge you to seek comment from the spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of the corresponding country,” said Mr. Jaishankar , who is concluding an approximately ten day visit to the United Nations in New York and to Washington DC.
“I think what I have said to my mind represents accurate policy assessment of where the state of our relations are. We continue to strive for for a relationship with China. But one that is built on mutual sensitivity, mutual respect and mutual interest,” he said.
