The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday held talks with a delegation of the Communist Party of China at its headquarters in New Delhi, marking the first formal party-level engagement between the two sides since the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020.
The Chinese delegation was led by Sun Haiyan, Vice Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China. BJP foreign affairs department in charge Vijay Chauthaiwale, shared details of the meeting on social media, saying the discussions focused on improving communication and dialogue between the BJP and the CPC.
“A delegation from the Communist Party of China, led by Sun Haiyan, Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC, visited the BJP headquarters today. We discussed ways to enhance inter party communication and interaction between the BJP and the CPC,” Chauthaiwale said.
The BJP delegation was headed by party general secretary Arun Singh. Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong was also present during the meeting.
Confirming the talks, Arun Singh said, “Ms Sun Haiyan, Vice Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, visited the BJP head office today. During the meeting, we discussed how to strengthen communication and engagement between the BJP and the CPC.”
The BJP and the CPC have had party-to-party contacts since the late 2000s, with several BJP delegations visiting Beijing in the past. However, this was the first such engagement after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash along the Line of Actual Control, which had severely strained relations between India and China.
The meeting comes amid a gradual thaw in bilateral ties following Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s interaction on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia’s Kazan in October 2024. That interaction was seen as a step towards disengagement talks in eastern Ladakh and the resumption of diplomatic dialogue.
The talks also took place against the backdrop of political sparring between the BJP and the Congress over relations with China. The BJP has repeatedly accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of having close links with the CPC, including allegations of a secret memorandum of understanding signed during a 2018 visit to Beijing. The BJP has also claimed that Rahul Gandhi met Chinese officials during the 2017 Doklam standoff, allegations that the Congress has denied.
On the other hand, the Congress has accused Prime Minister Modi of failing to take a strong stand against China, particularly after the Galwan clashes. Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have questioned the government’s handling of China’s actions along the Line of Actual Control, claims the government has rejected.
