New Delhi, Beijing agree to work on reasonable resolution of boundary issue; pledge to boost trade relations
TIANJIN, Aug 31: Chinese President Xi Jinping told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday that it is the “right choice” for the two countries to be “friends” and they should not let the border dispute define their relations.
The talks between the two leaders took place on the margins of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) here.
Xi told Modi that the two Asian neighbours should work together to ensure peace and tranquility in their border regions, and should not let the border issue define the overall China-India relations.
India and China are cooperation partners, not rivals, and the two countries are each other’s development opportunities rather than threats, Xi said.
As long as the two countries stick to this overarching direction, China-India relations can sustain steady and long-term growth, Xi said.
“It is the right choice for both to be friends who have good neighbourly and amicable ties, partners who enable each other’s success, and to have the dragon and the elephant dance together,” he said.
Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of China-India diplomatic relations, Xi said the two countries need to view and handle bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective to ensure their sustained, sound and steady development.
Modi and Jinping pledged to expand trade and investment ties recognising the role of the two economies to stabilise global trade.
In their wide-ranging talks, the two leaders largely focused on boosting trade and investment ties, a move that came against the backdrop of disruptions in global trade triggered by US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs including a whopping 50 per cent on Indian goods.
“Our cooperation is linked to the interests of 2.8 billion people of our two countries. This will also pave the way for the welfare of all humanity,” Modi said in Hindi in his televised opening remarks.
Modi and Xi recognised the role of the two economies to stabilise world trade and underlined the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to expand bilateral trade and investment ties and reduce trade deficit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in the readout.
“The prime minister noted that India and China both pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens,” it said.
“The two leaders deemed it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges, like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms,” it added.
In a social media post, Modi described his talks with Xi as “fruitful”.
“We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and reaffirmed our commitment to cooperation based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity,” he said.
Modi and Xi also noted the need to strengthen people-to-people ties through direct flights and visa facilitation, building on the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and tourist visa.
In the last few months, both sides have initiated a series of measures to reset their ties that came under severe strain following the deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020. (PTI)