India-China must have timely strategic communication, not let differences evolve into disputes: Chinese envoy

During the recently held India-China informal meeting in the coastal town of Mamallapuram in South India, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi had focused on ways to maintain peace and tranquillity on borders and agreed to work upon all differences that may lead to conflict, apart from discussing other regional and global issues.

Speaking exclusively to ANI on Xi-Modi informal talks, Chinese ambassador to India, Sun Weidong, said, "China and India should have a timely strategic communication on all major issues and respect each other's core interests. The two neighbours should also gradually seek mutual understanding and constantly diffuse differences."

"Prime Minister Modi had also agreed that the two sides should take account of each other's major concerns, properly manage, control and address differences that may evolve into disputes. The two sides should develop a closer partnership and usher in a new era of India-China relationship," the envoy added.

Elaborating further, on his country's stand on bilateral relations with India, Sun said that China has always believed that the two sides should correctly view their differences, and never let them dim the overall bilateral cooperation.

"At the same time, the two countries should also gradually seek understanding through communication and constantly resolve their differences", he stated.

In 2017, the Doklam crisis had emerged as a major challenge in the bilateral relations between the two countries. Indian and Chinese troops had engaged in a bitter scuffle during the Doklam standoff.

Incursions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has also remained a bone of contention between China and India. However, border areas have largely remained peaceful and both countries claim that not a single bullet has been fired.

Outlining the aspects discussed between the leaders of the two countries during the two-day summit on boundary issue the envoy added, "The two sides had exchanged views on pending issues including the border."

"They also welcomed the work done by the Special Representatives and instructed them to continue their efforts to seek a mutually agreed framework based on the political parameters and guiding principles for the settlement of the China-India boundary question reached in 2005, and work upon finding a fairly and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question," he said.

During the informal meet, the envoy stressed that the two leaders had reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace along the India-China and agreed to have more Confidence-Building Measures and carefully manage differences.

The two sides had also exchanged views on raising the level of military and security exchanges, and decided to put military-to-military relations on the right track for boosting mutual trust and friendship with each other.

Xi had visited Chennai from October 11-12 for the second informal summit between India and China. During the delegation-level talks, Prime Minister Modi said that the 'Chennai Connect' is the start of a new era in India-China relations.