The Chinese ambassador claims that China-India at a crucial stadium urges India to create a fair and transparent commercial climate for Chinese companies

Chinese ambassador Xu Feihong

April 1 marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic links between China and India. In a recent interview with the Global Times, Chinese ambassador Xu Feihong said that the relationship was at a crucial stage, urging both parties to overcome obstacles and take proactive measures to advance cooperation. XU said that India was among the first countries to recognize the People's Republic of China and the first non -socialist country to establish diplomatic links with China.

A review of the 75 years of history of Chinese-Indian relations shows that, despite periods of turbulence, the relationship has generally maintained a positive trajectory, with friendly exchanges and practical cooperation remaining the dominant theme, Xu said.

As the Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out, from any point of view, China and India should be good neighbors who live in harmony and work together as good partners, noted the ambassador.

In October of last year, President XI and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a successful bilateral meeting in Kazan, Russia, giving the tone to overcome the challenges in China-Indre relations and reporting a new phase of engagement. Since then, the two parties have worked to implement the important consensus reached by the two leaders, strengthening exchanges at different levels and reaching a series of positive results, Xu said.

In recent months, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar have gathered several times at multilateral events. The two countries also organized the 23rd meeting of special representatives for the question of the borders of China-Indies in Beijing in December 2024 as well as the dialogue of the Secretary of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of China-Indies, in January, by carrying out a broad consensus on bilateral relations, practical cooperation and limit issues, according to Xinhua reports.

The Chinese ambassador noted that such frequent and constructive interactions have been rare in recent years, reporting that China-Indre relations are at a crucial stage of improvement and development. In the future, the two parties will still have to overcome obstacles, eliminate disturbances and take proactive measures to maintain and rely on this positive momentum, he said.

The ambassador also noted Modi's recent remarks in an interview with Podcast, in which he underlined the dialogue on discord, recognizing that the differences between neighboring countries are natural, but must not degenerate into disputes.

Modi remarks reflect the importance that Indian leadership attaches to China-India relations, said XU, noting that in response, the Chinese part quickly addressed the remarks through a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressing that a cooperative not two of the Dragon and the Elephant is the right choice for both parties. Xu said he had noticed that the declaration had received generalized coverage in the Indian media, many of which highlighted the “Dragon-elephant” Tango “sentence.

“History has shown several times that the importance of Chinese-Indian relations goes far beyond the bilateral level, the authorization of regional and global implications. A greater solidarity and cooperation between the two will benefit Asia and will have a positive impact on the world,” said XU.

When spring arrives, China and India should commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, marking an important step in their common career. China is ready to work with India to examine the course of the past, draw a vision of the future, properly manage the differences and regularly advance exchanges and cooperation at different levels and sectors, Xu told the Global Times.

Common denominator of China and India

Asked about the deepening of cooperation, the Chinese ambassador said that the two nations underwent key modernization phases, and that development remains their “greatest common denominator”. XU said that China advanced the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization, while India presented Viksit Bharat's vision of the construction of India in a nation developed by the centenary of its independence in 2047. He added that China is ready to align strategies with India, to support mutual progress and to pursue shared growth as Modernization.

“We are ready to work with the Indian side to strengthen practical cooperation in trade and in other areas, and to import more Indian products well suited to the Chinese market. We also welcome more Indian companies to cross the Himalayas and seek opportunities for cooperation in China, sharing the dividends of the development of China.”

At the same time, we hope that India will create an equitable and transparent commercial climate for Chinese companies, further expanding mutually beneficial cooperation and offering more tangible advantages to both countries and their peoples, the ambassador said.

Ambassador XU also noted that in the middle of the acceleration of invisible changes in a century, China and India as two key forces of the global trend towards multipolarity, two major engines of global economic growth and the main voices of the world South were again at the forefront of the time.

As President XI stressed that “If China and India speak with one voice, the whole world will listen to; And if we join the hands, the whole world will pay attention, “the two countries are called upon to maintain and advance the five principles of peaceful coexistence, to improve coordination and cooperation in international affairs, and to jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and the interests of developing countries, said XU.

XU has urged the two parties to help build a more equitable world order and to meet major challenges jointly, including climate change, terrorism and food and energy security, contributing to peace and shared prosperity in the world.

Promote exchanges

During the dialogue of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs-Secretary, China and India agreed to resume direct flights to passengers and take measures to facilitate the exchanges of travel and journalists.

In 2019, around 50 direct flights linked the two countries each week. These routes have been suspended due to the pandemic and remain inactive.

Many Indian and Chinese friends have complained of this, said XU, noting that the lack of direct flights forces them to pass through third countries, which takes time, expensive and annoying. There is a strong expectation on both sides for the early recovery of direct flights.

The media play a crucial role in increasing the understanding of China-India. However, for certain reasons, China has not been able to send resident journalists in India for two years. Currently, the relevant authorities of the two countries are involved in active consultations on the resumption of direct flights and the exchange of resident journalists, working on specific arrangements, the ambassador said.

Xu has expressed hope that India will move to the same management to achieve concrete progress, improving the links of people to the person and practical cooperation.

To mark the 75th anniversary of the creation of diplomatic relations between China and India, the two countries have agreed to launch a series of activities, including the exchanges of media and reflection groups, track II dialogues and other initiatives of people to people.

“The foundation of state relations in the state lies in the affinity between peoples. Cultural exchanges and people to people between China and India have resisted time, enduring historical changes and geopolitical changes, and have laid a deep foundation for mutual learning between two ancient oriental civilizations. These exchanges.

XU said China has engaged in the exchange of people to the person, noting that their embassy and its consulates issued 280,000 visas to Indian citizens last year. In the first quarter of this year, around 70,000 visas were issued, which represents an increase of approximately 15% in annual sliding.

According to XU, more exchanges involving media, reflection groups and young people are planned this year to trigger new ideas and deepen mutual understanding.

Future lies in youth

Since he has assumed his duties as a 17th Chinese ambassador to India in May 2024, Xu has traveled across the country and has signed up with people from all walks of life.

Xu said his travels let him feel the energy of India's rapid development and its rich and diverse culture. “China and India share close historical ties, similar values ​​and a solid base of friendship based on shared prosperity objectives,” he said.

China and India have the largest populations of young people in the world, and exchanges and interactions between young people in our two countries are particularly remarkable, said XU, noting that the Chinese embassy organized a series of events and through these activities, they had many face -to -face exchanges with young Indian friends.

From their energy, we see the future of our nations; From their curiosity and their aspiration for China, we are more confident with regard to the friendship of China-India, said the ambassador.

“I sincerely hope that more young friends from the two countries will go to each other, to walk and to see by themselves, becoming envoys of friendship that connect hearts, promote mutual learning and deepen the understanding between the peoples of China and India,” said the ambassador.