'Oriental wisdom' can solve border dispute: China

Boundary question will be among the "substantive issues" that will be discussed when Xi Jinping and Narendera Modi will hold talks

On the eve of its President's maiden visit to India, China today advocated "oriental wisdom" to resolve the contentious boundary dispute and said with enough willingness and determination, a proper solution to the issue would be found.

The thorny boundary question will be among the "substantive issues" that will be discussed when Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendera Modi will hold talks -- first in Ahemdabad during a private dinner for the visiting dignitary and then in New Delhi on September 18.

In an interview to PTI, newly-appointed Chinese Ambassador to India Le Yucheng said, "As countries with a long history of civilization, China and India have inherited some problems from history, but more importantly we have inherited oriental wisdom on how to solve problems...I believe that, with enough willingness and determination, we'll find a proper solution to the boundary issues eventually."

"Practical experience has proved that as long as we respect and care for each other's concerns and insist on managing differences through dialogue and consultation, it is fully possible to handle the boundary-related issues properly, and create favorable conditions and atmosphere for the final settlement of the boundary as well as for the development of our bilateral relations," he said.

The remarks assume significance with New Delhi clearly articulating its expectations from the high-profile visit, saying it expects that the visit will address the "interests and concerns" of the two countries and that "all substantive" issues having bearing on bilateral ties including the boundary dispute will be discussed.

The Indian remarks came in the wake of incursions by Chinese civilians in government vehicles in Demchok in Ladakh and preventing locals from working on an irrigation project there.

The Chinese Ambassador further added that over the years, China and India have made consistent and unremitting efforts to resolve the boundary issues and a "three-step roadmap" has been formulated by the two sides.

"At present, the two sides are making endeavours to move forward the negotiation process and seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution based on the agreed political guidelines," Le said.

India asserts that the border dispute covered nearly 4,057-km long Line of Actual Control, while China claims that it is confined to about 2,000 km to the area of Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as Southern Tibet.

The interview covered wide range of bilateral issues including economic, increasing India-Japan proximity and China's ties with Pakistan.