PTI
Beijing
A ballet between the elephant and the dragon contributing to each other’s success is the “only right choice” for India-China relations, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday as he acknowledged positive strides in bilateral ties after the end of the military standoff in
eastern Ladakh.
There is every reason for us to support each other rather than undermine each other or undercut each other, Wang, who is also a member of the powerful political bureau of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), said at his annual press conference here.
A “cooperative pas de deux” between the dragon and the elephant is the “only right choice for both sides,” Wang said while replying to a question on how Beijing views the course of bilateral ties after the two countries ended the four-year stalemate in the ties.
Bilateral relations between the two Asian giants froze after the Galwan valley clash in eastern Ladakh in June 2020. The four year military standoff ended last year.
China-India relations have made positive strides over the past year after last year’s breakthrough, he said.
The successful meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kazan last October provided strategic guidance for the improvement and development of the bilateral ties, he said.
After that “both sides have earnestly followed through on the important common understandings of our leaders, strengthened exchanges and practical cooperation at all levels, and achieved a series of positive outcomes,” he added.
In an apparent reference to India stressing the importance of peace at borders for the development of relations, Wang reiterated China’s oft-repeated stand that the differences over the boundary or on other issues should not affect the overall bilateral ties.
As two ancient civilisations, India and China have enough wisdom and capability to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas pending a fair and reasonable solution to the boundary issue, said Wang.
“We should never allow bilateral relations to be defined by the boundary question or specific differences to affect the overall picture of our bilateral ties,” he said in his widely televised press conference held on the sidelines of China’s annual parliament session currently underway.
