China and India are partners, not rivals, says Xi Jinping

New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping has described China and India as partners rather than rivals, saying the two countries should view each other’s development as an opportunity instead of a threat.

Xi made the remarks during a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, according to a statement issued by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministry said the two leaders had met twice over the past two years and had guided bilateral ties from a “restart” towards further improvement. Institutional exchanges have gradually resumed, the statement said, while areas of cooperation have expanded and bilateral trade has reached a record high.

According to the ministry, Xi said China and India had different national conditions but could learn from each other, support one another and pursue common development.

He said the two countries, as the world’s most populous nations and key members of the Global South, had an important role to play amid a complex and unstable international environment.

Xi urged both sides to focus on the welfare of their people and work together to promote high-quality BRICS cooperation. Such efforts, he said, would contribute to global peace, stability, development and prosperity.

The Chinese President outlined four principles for advancing China-India relations.

First, he called for an objective and rational assessment of the strategic direction of bilateral ties. China and India, he said, should regard each other as partners and opportunities for development, rather than competitors and threats.

Second, Xi stressed the need for mutually beneficial cooperation, saying development should serve as the broadest area of common ground between the two countries.

Third, he called for political wisdom, mutual respect and understanding to prevent external issues from disrupting bilateral relations. China and India should pursue the parallel development of their broader ties and negotiations on boundary issues while maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border, he said.

Fourth, Xi advocated greater openness and inclusive multilateral cooperation to benefit the wider international community.

The Chinese ministry said India and China should support each other’s BRICS presidencies and deepen coordination through platforms including the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the G20.

It added that the two countries should jointly tackle global challenges and firmly uphold international fairness and justice.

(Inputs from IANS)