NEW DELHI: Amid ongoing tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, Chinese Ambassador to India, H.E. Sun Weidong, on Friday said that India and China should be partner and not rivals.
Weidong released a video message talking about the recent stand-off between the two countries in Galwan region in eastern Ladakh. The Ambassador said that the June 15 violent clash in Galwan Valley, which caused casualties on both sides, was not seen as coming by either China or India. Weidong also said that Chinese frontline troops were disengaging from the ground in accordance with the consensus reached.
On July 5, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had talked over the phone and reached a positive consensus on easing the border tension. The Ambassador added that some quarters in India have raised doubts about the consensus reached by the leaders and have a wrong perception about China-India ties. These have brought disruptions in the bilateral relations. “In this regard, it is imperative for us to clarify some fundamental points,” he said.
He pointed out that India and China should be partners rather than rivals, and both countries have a history of friendly exchanges of more than 2,000 years. He also said that during the Wuhan Informal Summit in 2018, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stressed that the two countries provide each other with development opportunities instead of posing threats, which the two sides should adhere to.
“This is the fundamental judgment on China-India relations charting the course for the development of our bilateral relations,” he said. The Ambassador pointed out that he has noticed some emerging opinions in recent days, which repudiate the essence of China-India relationship due to border-related incidents, make false assumptions about China’s intentions, exaggerate conflicts and provoke a confrontation.
He said, “It is not the fact. It is harmful indeed and not helpful. China and India have jointly advocated the five principals of peaceful coexistence and uphold independent foreign policies. We should naturally see each other as a positive factor in the changing global landscape and as well as partners in realizing our respective dream of development.”
The Ambassador said that the two countries should not allow differences to interfere with bilateral relations. He added that since the boundary question has been left by history, it is now necessary to find a fair and reasonable solution that is acceptable to both countries through consultation and negotiations.
“In the absence of the ultimate solution, both the countries agreed to maintain peace and tranquility in the border area,” he said. The Ambassador pointed out that for China, peace was of paramount importance.
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