The mutual respect between New Delhi and Beijing is openly on display. The latest being Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “positive” remarks on the ties between the two countries, which China has “appreciated”, saying that a “dragon-elephant dance” cooperation is the only correct choice for the two neighbours.
“Let me stress that in the 2000 plus years’ history of interactions, the two countries have maintained friendly exchanges” and both the countries learned from each other contributing to civilisational achievements and human progress,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters.
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The statement follows PM Modi’s interaction with US-based podcaster and computer scientist Lex Fridman where he said normalcy has returned to the India-China border after his recent talks with President Xi Jinping to defuse tensions ignited by the 2020 clashes between the two armies in eastern Ladakh. The Prime Minister said that his government is focused on ensuring that differences do not escalate into disputes.
“Our focus is to ensure that these differences don’t turn into disputes. That’s what we actively work toward. Instead of discord, we emphasise dialogue, because only through dialogue can we build a stable, cooperative relationship that serves the best interests of both nations,” PM Modi told Lex Fridman.
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The China spokesperson said the successful meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia, in October provided strategic guidance for the improvement and development of bilateral ties.
In November last year, Indian and Chinese troops started patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh after a gap of over four years. Patrolling was stopped in these two areas in eastern Ladakh for about four and a half years after the two sides clashed in the Pangong Lake and Galwan regions in May-June 2020.
“It is true that there have been ongoing border disputes between us. And in 2020, the incidents along the border created significant tensions between our countries. However, after my recent meeting with President Xi, we have seen a return to normalcy at the border,” PM Modi said.
Both sides, said the China spokesperson, have earnestly followed through on the important common understandings, strengthened exchanges and achieved positive outcomes.
As the two largest developing countries, China and India have shared the task of accelerating their development and revitalisation and understand and support each other’s successes, she said.
This serves the fundamental interests of over 2.8 billion people, meets the common aspiration of regional countries, and follows the historical trend of the Global South growing stronger and conducive to world peace, she further added.
The two countries should be partners that contribute to each other’s success and a “cooperative pas de deux”, a ballet dance between dragon and elephant, is the “only choice for both sides”, she said, reiterating the recent comments by Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the development of bilateral ties.
China stands ready to work with India to implement the important common understandings between the two leaders, take the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic relations as an opportunity and advance bilateral ties on the track of stable and sound development, she said.
“Our cooperation is not only (mutually) beneficial but also essential for global peace and prosperity,” said PM Modi.
