Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of cross-border terrorism during his bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier today, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Sunday.
PM Modi emphasised that cross-border terrorism affects both India and China, and that it is important for the two countries to support each other in combating the issue, Misri said during a special briefing.
“Cross-border terrorism was mentioned by the Prime Minister as a priority. He emphasized that this is an issue impacting both India and China, and therefore, it is important that we extend mutual understanding and support as we combat cross-border terrorism,” Misri said.
"I would, in fact, like to say that we have received the understanding and cooperation of China as we have dealt with the issue of cross-border terrorism in the context of the ongoing SCO Summit," he added.
The two leaders held wide-ranging talks with a focus on rebuilding the bilateral relations that came under severe strain following the over four-year border standoff in eastern Ladakh that ended in October last year.
Prime Minister Modi conveyed to President Xi that peace and tranquility along the India-China border act as an "insurance policy" for maintaining healthy bilateral relations.
“The boundary issue was also discussed. Both leaders took note of the successful disengagement last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border regions since then,” Misri said while briefing the press.
Highlighting key principles related to the issue, the Prime Minister reiterated the need for peace and stability in the border areas to ensure the continued and smooth development of bilateral relations.
“There was an understanding on the need to maintain peace along the borders using existing mechanisms and to avoid disruptions to the overall relationship going forward,” he added.
Foreign Secretary Misri said that during their meeting, both Xi and Modi agreed that the two countries remain primarily focused on their domestic development goals and, in this context, are partners rather than rivals.
“There was also consensus that a stable and amicable relationship between India and China would benefit the 2.8 billion people living in both countries,” he said.
“The common interests of the two nations outweigh their differences. The leaders agreed that differences should not be allowed to turn into disputes. It was also recognized that it is critical for India and China to grow and cooperate if there is to be an Asian century and a functional multipolar world order, with a multipolar Asia at its core," he added.
(With inputs from PTI)