Chinese President says the two countries should see each other as opportunities, not threats…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday that China and India should view each other as partners rather than rivals and as opportunities for development rather than threats, as he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
According to a statement issued by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Xi said the two countries had made progress in rebuilding and strengthening bilateral relations over the past two years.
The Chinese President and Prime Minister Modi have met twice during this period, helping guide relations from a “restart” towards further improvement, the ministry said. Institutional exchanges have gradually resumed, cooperation has expanded and bilateral trade has reached a new high, it added.
Xi said that despite differences in national conditions, China and India could learn from each other’s strengths, support one another and pursue mutual development.
Against the backdrop of an increasingly complex international environment, he said the two countries, as the world’s two most populous nations and major members of the Global South, had important responsibilities.
“China and India are partners, not rivals, and opportunities, not threats, for each other’s development,” Xi said, according to the ministry.
He said this strategic assessment was based on the development stages of both countries and the broader international environment and was in the common interests of China and India and their people.
Xi outlined four areas that he said could help ensure the steady and long-term development of bilateral relations.
First, he called for an objective and rational strategic understanding to guide the relationship. Second, he urged both sides to pursue mutually beneficial cooperation and make development their “greatest common denominator”.
The Chinese President also called for political wisdom based on mutual respect and understanding to reduce interference in bilateral ties. He said China and India should pursue the parallel development of their bilateral relationship and efforts to address border issues while maintaining peace and tranquillity along the frontier.
His fourth point focused on multilateral cooperation, with Xi calling for China and India to contribute to global development through an open and inclusive approach.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the two countries should support each other’s BRICS presidencies and strengthen cooperation through multilateral platforms including the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the G20.
Xi also urged Beijing and New Delhi to work together to address global challenges and defend international fairness and justice.
The ministry said China and India should keep the broader interests of humanity in mind and prioritise the well-being of their people while working to strengthen BRICS cooperation and contribute to global peace, stability, development and prosperity.
The meeting comes as the two countries seek to consolidate an improvement in bilateral ties following a period of strained relations, particularly over their disputed border.
