BEIJING/NEW DELHI, Aug 19: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said that India-China relations are moving in a positive direction towards cooperation, stressing that the two neighbors should regard each other as partners rather than rivals.
Wang, who arrived in New Delhi on Monday, made the remarks during his meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. His visit comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled trip to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
According to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, Wang underlined that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and China, and urged both sides to learn lessons from the past—an apparent reference to the freeze in relations following the 2020 Eastern Ladakh border standoff.
“It is imperative for the two sides to have correct strategic perceptions, view each other as partners and opportunities rather than rivals or threats, and invest their valuable resources in development and revitalisation,” Wang said.
He called for exploring “the right ways for major neighbouring countries to coexist with mutual respect and trust, pursue common development and achieve win-win cooperation.” China, he said, was willing to uphold the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and work with India to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous neighbourhood.
Following the meeting, both countries agreed to maintain the improved momentum of bilateral relations, official reports said.
Wang’s trip is being seen as part of continuing efforts to rebuild ties strained after the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020. His visit also included discussions with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval as part of the Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary question.
In a veiled swipe at the United States, Wang said the world was witnessing “unilateral bullying practices” and that free trade and the global order were under pressure. He argued that as the two largest developing countries with a combined population of over 2.8 billion, India and China should act with a sense of global responsibility, set an example of unity for developing nations, and contribute to world multipolarity.
Wang noted that both countries were implementing the consensus of their leaders, gradually resuming dialogue and exchanges, maintaining peace on the border, and facilitating the resumption of pilgrimages by Indian devotees to sacred sites in Tibet.
The Chinese Foreign Minister’s engagement in India follows National Security Advisor Doval’s December visit to China for the 23rd round of border talks with Wang. The revival of dialogue mechanisms was decided by Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting in Kazan, Russia, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.
Recent Comments