External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi, on Friday, discussed the management of peace and tranquility in border areas, the Kailash Mansarovar yatra, resumption of direct flight connectivity, and travel facilitation during a meeting on the sidelines of G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Johannesburg.

Jaishankar is in South Africa to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting from February 20-21.

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Briefing mediapersons here about the external affairs minister’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The two ministers reviewed developments in the bilateral relationship since their last meeting in November, specifically the management of peace and tranquility in border areas.”

There was also an exchange of views on G20 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the MEA spokesperson said.

After the meeting, Jaishankar wrote in a post on X, “The G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Johannesburg provided an opportunity to meet CPC Politburo member and FM Wang Yi of China this morning on its sidelines.”

In his opening remarks during a meeting with China’s Wang Yi on the sidelines of G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Johannesburg, Jaishankar said, “I am glad that we could meet today on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Johannesburg. Such gatherings have provided an opportunity for our interaction even when our ties were going through a difficult phase.”

“We should also recognise that in a polarised global situation, our two countries have worked hard to preserve and protect the G20 as an institution. This in itself testifies to the importance of international cooperation,” the external affairs minister said.

“Since our last meeting in Rio during the G20 Summit in November 2024, there have been some notable developments. Our NSA and Foreign Secretary have visited China and there have been discussions about various aspects of our relationship,” he noted.

“These have included management of peace and tranquility in the border areas as well as other dimensions of our ties. I am glad today to have a further exchange of views,” he added.

Pointing out that both India and China are members of the G20, SCO and BRICS, he said, “There are also regional and global issues of mutual interest, where an exchange of perspectives will be to our mutual benefit. I look forward to our conversation.”