India, China to take relationship forward on guidance from Modi, Xi

The MEA confirmed India and China are advancing their relationship based on guidance from PM Modi and President Xi's BRICS summit meeting, with India underlining the 'three mutuals' and the need for peace and tranquillity in border areas.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said India and China are taking forward their bilateral relationship based on the guidance provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in the national capital earlier this month.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during a media briefing, said that the two leaders had discussed the relationship during their meeting and provided guidance on taking it forward. "On the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, we had a leaders-level meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi, where the two leaders have given guidance on this relationship, and now we are taking that forward," Jaiswal said.

India's Stance on Bilateral Ties

During their bilateral meeting, Prime Minister Modi had also raised India's concerns with the Chinese President and underlined the need for both sides to remain sensitive to each other's core concerns. "Prime Minister referred to Indian concerns as well and underlined that both sides should show sensitivity to each other's core concerns and be guided by the 'three mutuals': mutual respect, mutual interest, and mutual sensitivity," Jaiswal had said in an earlier briefing.

India has maintained that the bilateral relationship should be anchored in the principles of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity.

Prime Minister Modi had also stressed that peace and tranquillity in the border areas remain essential for sustained progress in bilateral relations and underlined the need to respect existing agreements and understandings on border-related issues. "Prime Minister emphasised that peace and tranquillity in the border areas remain an essential basis for the continued development of bilateral relations," the MEA had said following the meeting, while stressing "the need for both sides to observe existing agreements and understandings on border-related issues."

Resolving Boundary Question and Expanding Cooperation

The two sides also expressed their commitment to resolving the boundary question from a strategic and long-term political perspective, with the objective of achieving a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable outcome.

According to the MEA, the two leaders also agreed that both countries should expand common ground on regional and global issues and work together in addressing challenges. "The two leaders agreed that both sides must continue to expand common ground on regional and global issues and in addressing challenges," the MEA noted.

The ministry also said that India's position on the boundary question remains focused on constructive and long-term diplomatic channels. "The two leaders' commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples" was also highlighted by the MEA.

Chinese Perspective

The Chinese readout of the meeting described India and China as "partners rather than rivals". Beijing's readout also cited India's stated positions concerning Taiwan and Tibet and said that "it will not allow any force to engage in anti-China activities on its territory."

On Turkey's SCO Membership Bid

Meanwhile, responding to reports that India is opposed to Turkey becoming a full-time member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Jaiswal said membership-related decisions are to be taken collectively by SCO members. "The membership of the SCO is something that all the SCO members decide together. So, whenever any issue of membership comes, it is for the members to collectively decide as to how to go forward," Jaiswal said.

The MEA's latest remarks come as India moves forward with the guidance provided by the leadership of both countries during the leaders' meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, while reiterating its emphasis on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity in bilateral ties. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)