Source The Hindu
BEIJING — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated on Monday that Beijing and New Delhi must advance bilateral relations steadily without “stagnation or backsliding,” following high-level discussions between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
Briefing state media on the bilateral talks, Wang described the exchange between the two leaders as candid, in-depth, and focused on strategic, long-term direction. According to Wang, the primary consensus reached during the meeting was that China and India should view each other as developmental partners rather than rivals.
Quoting President Xi, Wang noted that bilateral ties have steadily emerged from a prolonged freeze, progressing from a “restart” toward a “renewed height.” He emphasized that the hard-won normalization process deserves to be safeguarded by both nations through concrete policy actions.
The call to avoid “backsliding” reflects Beijing’s desire to accelerate the resumption of economic, cultural, and direct connectivity exchanges, which had proceeded cautiously following the 2020 border standoff. China reiterated its stance that border issues should be placed in an “appropriate position” within the broader context of overall relations, allowing trade and diplomatic mechanisms to move in parallel.
New Delhi, while agreeing to sustain dialogue and rebuild institutional communication, has consistently maintained that lasting peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) remain the essential prerequisite for fully restoring normal bilateral ties.
Both leaders agreed that mutual stability between the world’s two most populous nations remains vital not only for their domestic modernization agendas but also for broader stability across the Global South.
