- Source: The Paper
- Author: Unknown Author
- Time: 2024-05-11
- Visits: 381
The official website of the Chinese Embassy in India. Picture.
On May 7, 2024, Xu Feihong, the new Chinese Ambassador to India, gave a joint interview to reporters from China Global Television Network (CGTN) and Press Trust of India (PTI) on the eve of his assumption of office in India.。
An Indian journalist asked Ambassador Xu Feihong the following question: Recently, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India-China relations are of great importance and significance, and also said that there is an urgent need for both sides to resolve the long-standing border issue. The spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded that China and India are maintaining close communication through diplomatic and military channels on issues related to resolving the border situation and have made positive progress. The border issue is not the entirety of China-India relations, and it should be properly managed and controlled by placing it in an appropriate position within the context of China-India relations. However, from the Indian perspective, as long as the border remains in an abnormal state, it is impossible for India-China relations to normalize. What is your view on this?
In response to this, Xu Feihong said, "I have taken note of Prime Minister Modi's statement on the great significance of India-China relations, and the spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately gave a positive response. In August 2023, when President Xi Jinping attended the BRICS Leaders' Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, he had a conversation with Prime Minister Modi at the latter's request. The two sides reaffirmed their recognition of the importance of China-India relations and emphasized that the two countries should properly handle the border issue and jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas."
Xu Feihong pointed out that China has always believed that China-India relations cannot be defined by a single issue or field, and the border issue is not the entirety of China-India relations. In September 2014, when President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the Indian Council of World Affairs, he once said that we should not focus only on the differences while ignoring the friendship and cooperation, and we should not allow the development processes of the two countries and the overall situation of bilateral relations to be disrupted.
Xu Feihong emphasized that after the border incident in June 2020, China has maintained communication with India through diplomatic and military channels. The two militaries have achieved disengagement at four locations in the western section of the border. The overall situation of the China-India border is stable and controllable, and the border areas are peaceful and tranquil.
"We are willing to work together with India, take care of each other's concerns, reach a mutually acceptable solution on relevant specific issues through dialogue and consultation at an early date, and promote the resolution of this round of the situation as soon as possible."