Dragon-Elephant Reset? Jaishankar Likely to Visit China for First Time Since LAC Standoff

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is expected to visit China, The Indian Express reported. It will be the minister's first visit to the neighbouring country since the 2020 military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, which strained the relationship between the two countries.

Jaishankar will travel to Tianjin in China for the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on July 14-15, the report said. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is likely to host the meeting, which will be attended by counterparts from Pakistan, Iran and Russia among others.

Jaishankar's official visit comes right after three weeks of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to China to attend the SCO’s defence ministers’ meeting in Qingdao.

These visits hold significant importance in a bilateral context. Reportedly, New Delhi and Beijing are working towards amending their bilateral ties, especially at a time when uncertainty looms around the US' tariffs.

In April, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised the need for closer cooperation between China and India on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. In his message to President Droupadi Murmu, Jinping called the relationship a “Dragon-Elephant tango," which signifies harmonious coexistence and shared progress. Earlier in March, Beijing also called for a similar kind of relationship, terming it the as the "only right choice" between the two Asian nations.

Before US President Donald Trump hit nations with his reciprocal tariffs on April 2, Beijing’s Ambassador to India Xu Feihong expressed its interest in buying more Indian products to balance trade. India runs a significant deficit in trade with its neighbour.

PTI reported that Wang may also visit India this month to hold a fresh round of talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval under the framework of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary dispute.

In retaliation to Trump's tariffs, China has put restrictions on seven critical rare earth elements and finished magnets essential for high-tech industries. Over 30 Indian companies are waiting for approvals from the Chinese authorities to import the same. Meanwhile, China has also stopped exporting speciality fertilisers to India without an official ban.