Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday said that New Delhi and Beijing should “remain friends” and foster good neighbourly ties so that the “dragon and the elephant can dance together” in mutual success.
During a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin, Xi described India and China as important members of the Global South.
He emphasised that the two nations must shoulder the responsibility of improving the well-being of their people while promoting the solidarity and rejuvenation of developing nations.
“The world today is swept by once-in-a-century transformations. The international situation is both fluid and chaotic. China and India are two ancient civilisations in the East. We are the world’s two most populous countries, and we are also important members of the Global South. We both shoulder the historical responsibility of improving the well-being of our two peoples, promoting the solidarity and rejuvenation of developing countries, and advancing the progress of human society,” Xi Jinping said.
“It is the right choice for both countries to be friends who maintain good neighbourly and amicable ties, partners who enable each other’s success, and to have the dragon and the elephant come together,” he added.
Xi stressed that India and China must strengthen their responsibility to uphold multilateralism, work together to bring about a multipolar world and greater democracy in international relations, and contribute to peace and prosperity in Asia and beyond.
Highlighting that 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic ties, the Chinese leader said it is necessary for both sides to “approach and handle” bilateral relations from a “strategic height and long-term perspective” to ensure “sustained, sound, and steady development.”
Earlier in the day, PM Modi said that cooperation between India and China would pave the way for the “welfare of the entire humanity” and reaffirmed that New Delhi remains committed to advancing bilateral relations on the basis of mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity.
He also congratulated Xi Jinping on assuming the Chairmanship of the SCO.
The two leaders last met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, in 2024.
This breakthrough in dialogue came after both sides reached an agreement on patrolling protocols along the 3,500-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC), effectively easing a four-year border confrontation.
IANS
