China, India working to build closer developmental partnership: Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that India and China have established a strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity in the last seven decades and the two countries are working to build a closer developmental partnership.

Jinping made this remarks in his felicitations message to President Ram Nath Kovind to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

"Thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, our two countries have established a Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity and are working to build a Closer Developmental Partnership. Our two countries are enjoying deeper exchanges and cooperation across the board and growing coordination in major international and regional affairs," a statement by Indian embassy to China quoted Jinping as saying

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang that COVID-19 pandemic was a reminder of the interconnected nature of the world and there was a need to adopt a truly global response to it.

PM also noted that he looked forward to working with the Chinese Premier to 'further deepen and strengthen our Closer Developmental Partnership and take it to even greater heights in the years to come'.

President Ram Nath Kovind, in his letter to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, conveyed "warm greetings, felicitations, and good wishes" to the government and the people of China, and observed that the two sides have "made considerable progress especially in the last few years in enhancing our bilateral engagement in a number of areas, including political, economic and people-to-people ties".

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveying to his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang have also exchanged messages of felicitation to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

An External Affairs Ministry release said that messages of felicitation have been exchanged between the Presidents, Prime Ministers and External Affairs Ministers of India and China to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations on April 1, 2020.

In his message to Li, the Prime Minister said that India and China were two ancient civilizations, with a long history of mutually beneficial exchanges over centuries.