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Xi congratulates President, says ready to work to deepen ties
Chinese President Xi Jinping was among world leaders who congratulated Droupadi Murmu on Monday on her assuming the office of the president, saying he stands ready to work with her to “properly handle differences”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was among world leaders who congratulated Droupadi Murmu on Monday on her assuming the office of the president, saying he stands ready to work with her to “properly handle differences”.
The message from Xi came against the backdrop of the dragging standoff between the militaries of India and China in Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that began more than two years ago. A brutal clash between the two sides in Galwan Valley in June 2020 took bilateral ties to an all-time low.
In his congratulatory message, Xi said he attaches “great importance to China-India relations, and stands ready to work with Murmu to enhance political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, properly handle differences and push bilateral ties forward on the right track”, according to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency.
Xi also pointed out that the two countries are important neighbours and a “healthy and stable China-India relationship is in line with the fundamental interests of the two countries and their people, as well as conducive to peace, stability and development in the region and across the world”.
Among the world leaders who sent congratulatory messages to Murmu were Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Bangladesh President M Abdul Hamid, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Wickremesinghe said in his message that Sri Lanka and India enjoy warm and long-standing relations which stemmed from people-to-people interactions over millennia and that the “time-tested bonds of friendship between the two nations continue to be reinforced through ever-growing cooperation and support in many spheres of strategic interests that we share”.
Hamid highlighted the role of women leaders in the region in his message and said: “As the President of Bangladesh – one of the best performing countries in women’s empowerment in the region – it is heartening to see you taking up the responsibilities of this high office.”
He also recalled the shared history and culture and long-standing friendship between India and Bangladesh, and said, “The invaluable support by the government and the people of India during our Liberation War in 1971 was a watershed moment in our relations. Today, our cooperation spans a range of areas, including trade, connectivity, water resources management, energy, border management and security.”
Putin congratulated Murmu in his message and said: “We attach much importance to the relations of special privileged strategic partnership with India. I hope your activities as the head of state will promote the further development of the Russian-Indian political dialogue and productive cooperation in different areas for the benefit of our friendly nations and in the interests of stronger international stability and security.”
Frederiksen too congratulated Murmu and said in her message that the “green strategic partnership” between India and Denmark is testament to the close relationship between the two sides. It reflects the common ambition of the two countries and is a unique model for a more sustainable future, she added.
