China urges India to prioritise border issue within bilateral relations

Both South Asian countries are working to normalise their relationship after a tense period of border standoffs, focusing on efforts to build confidence.
China and India flags used for representation.
China and India flags used for representation.(Photo | AFP)
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China on Tuesday urged India to place the border issue in an appropriate position within bilateral relations, emphasising that both sides should work together to maintain peace and tranquillity in border areas.

Both South Asian countries are working to normalise their relationship after a tense period of border standoffs, focusing on efforts to build confidence.

“We stand ready to work with the Indian side, in the spirit of looking to the future and pursuing win-win cooperation, to invest our valuable resources into development and revitalisation, and place the border issue in an appropriate position within bilateral relations,” said Wang Lei, Chargé d’Affaires at the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, at a function marking the Chinese New Year on Tuesday.

“We should jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in border areas, forge a path for the neighbouring countries to coexist in harmony, and create a better future together,” Wang said.

“We will hold dozens of celebratory activities for the 75th anniversary and look forward to your participation. Together, we will write new stories of China-India friendship,” the senior diplomat said.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Wang recalled that during the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi in Kazan, Russia, the two sides had agreed to step up strategic communication, safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border areas, and “strive to bring the bilateral relationship back to the track of stable development at an early date.”

“The two leaders viewed China-India relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, and pointed the way forward for the improvement and development of bilateral relations at a critical moment. Last December, the 23rd meeting of Special Representatives for the China-India Boundary Question was held in Beijing."

"Based on the important common understandings reached by the two leaders, both sides had substantive discussions on the China-India border issues and agreed on a six-point consensus.”

Hinting at the expanse of the ties between the countries, Wang said that bilateral trade reached 126.6 billion US dollars in the first 11 months of 2024, registering a year-on-year growth of 1.9%.

People-to-people exchanges have seen rapid growth, and the Chinese Embassy and Consulate Generals in India issued 280,000 visas to Indians last year.

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