Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. (File)
A DAY after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi asked New Delhi to shed “mental inhibitions” and “mutual suspicion” to improve bilateral ties, India on Friday said it is willing to work with the Chinese side to develop relations based on commonalities, while “dealing with differences on the basis of mutual respect and sensitivity to each other’s interests, concerns and aspirations”.
Responding to questions at the weekly briefing, Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Friday said, “As two major countries and large economies, relations between India and China are not just important bilaterally, but also have regional and global significance.”
He recalled that during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Xiamen in September last year, the two leaders agreed that sound development of relations between India and China are a factor of stability amidst today’s global uncertainties, and that the two countries should not allow their differences to become disputes.
“Since then, both sides have maintained regular exchanges at all levels, which have helped in strengthening bilateral communication. We are willing to work with the Chinese side to develop our relations based on commonalities while dealing with differences on the basis of mutual respect and sensitivity to each other’s interests, concerns and aspirations,” Kumar said.
Wang’s comments had come days after India reached out to China and advised Indian officials to skip events organised by the Tibetan government-in-exile.
Using one of the most oft-repeated metaphors for India and China, the Chinese Foreign Minister had said that it was time for the Chinese dragon and Indian elephant to dance together rather than fight each other.
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