China 'appreciates' PM Modi's 'positive' comments on India-China ties

"As the two largest developing countries, China and India share common task of national development and revitalisation," said China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning

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Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comments on India-China relations in conversation with American podcaster Lex Fridman, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, on Monday, that her country noted and appreciated it appreciated his positive remarks.

 

According to the Chinese daily Global Times, Mao mentioned that being partners in mutual achievement and realising “a cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant is the only right choice for China and India”.

 

PM Modi, in his recent conversation with Fridman, emphasised the importance of strengthening India-China relations, stating that competition should not escalate into conflict and differences should not turn into disputes.

 

“If you look at historical records, for centuries, India and China have learned from each other. Together, they have always contributed to the global good in some way. Old records suggest that at one point, India and China alone accounted for more than 50 per cent of the world’s GDP. That’s how massive India’s contribution was. And I believe our ties have been extremely strong, with deep cultural connections,” the PM Modi said on the podcast.

 

Modi also asserted that normalcy has returned to the India-China border after his recent talks with President Xi to defuse tensions ignited by the 2020 clashes between the two armies in eastern Ladakh. 

 

Ning said in the press briefing that the successful meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia, in October provided strategic guidance for the improvement and development of bilateral ties.

 

“Let me stress that in the 2000 plus years’ history of interactions, the two countries have maintained friendly exchanges and both the countries learned from each other contributing to civilisational achievements and human progress,” she said.

 

Ning added that as the two largest developing countries, China and India have shared the task of accelerating their development and revitalisation and understanding and supporting each other's successes, reported Global Times.

 

“The two countries should foster mutual understanding, mutual support, and mutual achievement, which aligns with the fundamental interests of their combined 2.8 billion people, meets the shared aspiration of regional countries, and follows the historical trend of the rising Global South. This approach also benefits global peace, stability, and prosperity,” she said.