India, China ties have made ‘positive strides,’ boundary issues shouldn’t overshadow relations: Chinese FM

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on Friday said India-China relations have made “positive strides” with encouraging progress at all levels following last year's breakthrough in resolving the four-year military standoff in eastern Ladakh.Speaking at his annual press conference, Wang emphasised that specific differences, including boundary issues, should not overshadow bilateral ties.“Over the past year, China-India relations have progressed positively,” Wang said, attributing it to the successful meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia.

He was responding to a question on Beijing’s view of bilateral ties following the resolution of the prolonged stalemate.At the Kazan meeting, Xi and Modi provided strategic direction for improving bilateral ties, Wang said on the sidelines of China's ongoing parliamentary session.Following this, both nations actively implemented the leaders' shared understanding, enhancing exchanges and practical cooperation across various levels, resulting in significant progress, he added.India and China concluded the disengagement process late last year after finalising an agreement to withdraw troops from Depsang and Demchok, the last remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh, marking the end of a four-year-long deadlock in relations.Following the finalisation of the pact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks in Kazan on October 23, where both sides agreed to revive various dialogue mechanisms.Subsequently, national security advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi held the 23rd Special Representatives (SR) dialogue in Beijing on December 18.Marking another high-level engagement, foreign secretary Vikram Misri travelled to Beijing on January 26 and met his Chinese counterpart Sun Weidong under the ‘Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister’ mechanism.China calls for stronger cooperationAddressing India's emphasis on peace at the borders for stronger ties, Wang reiterated China’s position that boundary differences or other disputes should not impact overall bilateral relations.“As two ancient civilisations, we 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, who is also a member of the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) powerful political bureau.Emphasising broader cooperation, he added, “We should never allow bilateral relations to be defined by the boundary question or specific differences to affect the overall picture of our ties.”China maintains that as the largest neighbours, both countries should support each other’s success.“A cooperative partnership between the dragon and the elephant is the only right choice for both sides,” Wang said.Calling for mutual trust, he stated, “There is every reason for us to support each other rather than undermine or undercut one another.

Both countries should work together rather than guard against each other.”According to Wang, fostering stable ties is in the fundamental interests of both nations.“As important members of the Global South, we have the responsibility to take the lead in opposing hegemonism and power politics,” he said, in an apparent reference to the United States.He further stressed that both nations must protect their legitimate interests while upholding international norms."If China and India join hands, the prospects of greater democracy in international affairs and a stronger Global South will improve significantly," he said.Looking ahead, Wang noted that 2025 will mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.“China stands ready to work with India to sum up past experiences and push China-India relations towards sound and stable development,” he added.With PTI inputs