Prez Xi stresses on improving India-China ties during meeting with PM Modi

Chinese President Xi Jinping during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stressed that improving China-India relations serves the common interests of the two countries and people, said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Friday.

The Chinese President met PM Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa on Wednesday.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the two leaders had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on current China-India relations and other questions of shared interest.

"President Xi stressed that improving China-India relations serves the common interests of the two countries and peoples, and is also conducive to peace, stability and development of the world and the region. The two sides should bear in mind the overall interests of their bilateral relations and handle properly the border issue so as to jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border region," the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said.

PM Modi during the conversation with Xi, highlighted India's concerns at the unresolved issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh with the two leaders agreeing to direct their relevant officials "to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation".

Addressing a press conference on India's participation at the 15th BRICS summit, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said Prime Minister Modi had interactions with other BRICS leaders during the summit.

He said PM Modi in his conversation with the Chinese President underlined that the maintenance of peace in the border areas and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalisation of the India-China ties.

"Prime Minister had interactions with other BRICS leaders. In a conversation with President Xi Jinping of China, the Prime Minister highlighted India's concerns on the unresolved issues along the LAC in the western sector of the India-China border areas. Prime Minister underlined that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalisation of the India-China relationship," Kwatra said.

"In this regard, the two leaders agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation," he added.