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Xi Jinping’s ‘Dragon-Elephant tango’ message to President Murmu on India-China relations
On the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Xi Jinping urged India and China to strengthen ties and cooperate on international affairs.
Chinese President Xi Jinping told his Indian counterpart Droupadi Murmu that Beijing and New Delhi should work more closely together. The Chinese and Indian presidents exchanged congratulatory messages on Tuesday, the 75th anniversary of the start of their diplomatic ties.
In his message, Xi Jinping said China and India's relationship should take the form of a "Dragon-Elephant tango" - a dance between their emblematic animals.
India and China have been working towards de-escalating tensions following their 2020 military clash in Ladakh's Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control.
Xi said the neighbours should find ways to coexist peacefully and that he was ready to deepen communication and coordination in major international affairs, and jointly safeguard peace in border areas, new agency Reuters reported.
India, China leaders exchange congratulatory messages
“Today marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China”, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a media briefing, answering a question.
Xi Jinping and Droupadi Murmu, besides Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanged congratulatory messages respectively, he said.
Both countries are ancient civilisations, major developing countries and important members of the Global South and both are in a crucial stage of modernisation, Guo said.
“The historical course of our bilateral relations shows that being partners that contributed to each other’s success and the cooperative dance of 'the dragon and the elephant' is the right choice for both sides,” Guo said.
“Under the strategic guidance of the leaders of our two countries, China stands ready to work with India to view and handle bilateral relations with a strategic and long-term perspective and take this occasion as an opportunity to enhance strategic mutual trust and step up exchanges and cooperation in various fields,” Guo added.
He was referring to how Modi and Xi provided strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations at their meeting at Kazan in Russia on the sidelines of the BRICS summit last year.
The two sides are implementing the consensus of the two leaders and are promoting cooperation and achieving fruitful outcomes.
‘India-China should also deepen communication’
Both countries should also deepen communication and coordination in major international affairs, jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas and advance China-India relations on the track of sound and stable development, Guo said.
To a question about the plans by both the countries to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, he said the two sides have the willingness to take the occasion to advance the bilateral relations.
Details of the specific events will be released in due course, he said.
This year, on March 25, India and China held a fresh edition of diplomatic talks in Beijing focusing on ensuring effective border management and early resumption of cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including on trans-border rivers and resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
(With inputs from Reuters, PTI)
