“India, China should step up dialogue and communication”: Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Vientiane, noted the current complex international landscape and suggested that, as two major neighbouring developing countries, India and China should step up dialogue and communication.

Underscoring the daunting global challenges, the Chinese foreign minister stressed that the two countries should increase understanding and mutual trust for mutually beneficial cooperation.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, and Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings on Thursday.

“Wang Yi said that in the face of the current complex international landscape and daunting global challenges, China and India, as two major neighbouring developing countries and emerging economies, should step up dialogue and communication, increase understanding and mutual trust, properly handle differences, and develop mutually beneficial cooperation,” the Chinese Embassy in India said in a release.

He added that the two sides should take a rational approach to rise above differences and frictions for the betterment of India-China relations.

“With a sense of responsibility for history, for the people and for the world, the two sides should take a rational approach to rise above differences and frictions to promote the improvement as well as stable and sustainable development of China-India relations,” it added.

Wang Yi said that the important impact of China-India relations goes beyond bilateral scope, according to the embassy’s statement.

Improving bilateral relations should reflect the strategic vision of China and India as two major emerging and developing countries, Wang Yi said.

“Handling the differences between the two countries should demonstrate the political wisdom of China and India as two ancient civilisations. Tackling global challenges should embody the solidarity and cooperation of countries in the Global South,” he said.

The Chinese foreign minister hoped that the two sides would work together to actively explore the right way for the two big neighbours to get along with each other and guide all communities to develop positive perceptions of each other.

“Wang Yi emphasised that a China-India relationship back on the right track serves the interests of both sides and meets the shared aspirations of countries in the Global South,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, EAM Jaishankar said that India and China are two countries with the largest populations and two major emerging economies and ancient civilisations with long histories.

He added that maintaining stable and predictable development of bilateral relations is entirely in the interests of the two sides, and holds special significance to upholding regional peace and promoting multi-polarity.

“India and China have broad converging interests and face the shadow brought by the situation in the border areas. But the Indian side is ready to take a historical, strategic and open perspective to find solutions to the differences and get bilateral relations back on a positive and constructive track,” the statement added.

Moreover, the two sides agreed to make concerted efforts to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and work for new progress in consultations on border affairs.

Both sides indicated their readiness to strengthen communication within the framework of the East Asia cooperation platform, SCO, G20 and BRICS, jointly practice multilateralism and uphold the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.