Amidst border tensions, China has called for a “sound and stable relationship” with India. According to a senior foreign ministry official, both countries have made “positive progress” towards resolving the standoff, maintaining close communication through diplomatic and military channels. This comes in response to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statement emphasizing the importance of ties with Beijing and the urgent need to address the prolonged situation at the borders.
Prime Minister Modi and China Urge Diplomatic Solutions for Peace
In an interview with Newsweek magazine, Prime Minister Modi expressed hope for restoring peace through constructive engagement at diplomatic and military levels. China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated the importance of a stable relationship between the two countries, urging India to address the boundary question appropriately to ensure a steady relationship.
The border standoff in eastern Ladakh, which began on May 5, 2020, has frozen relations between India and China, except for trade ties. Despite 21 rounds of corps commander-level talks, tensions persist. Modi emphasized the necessity of resolving the border situation swiftly for normalizing bilateral interactions.
Mao emphasized that stable relations between India and China are crucial for regional and global peace and development. While China reiterated that the boundary question is not the entirety of bilateral relations, India insists on normalizing ties only when the border situation is resolved. Both countries have agreed to disengage from certain points, but India continues to press for further disengagement.
Overall, China hopes for strategic and long-term cooperation with India to handle differences and build trust, ultimately putting the relationship on a sound and stable track.