Xi urges China, India to facilitate each other's pursuit of development aspirations

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Oct. 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged China and India to strengthen communication and cooperation, enhance strategic mutual trust, and facilitate each other's pursuit of development aspirations.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit.

Xi pointed out that as time-honored civilizations, large developing countries and important members of the Global South, China and India both stand at a crucial phase of their respective modernization endeavors.

It is in the fundamental interest of the two countries and two peoples to keep to the trend of history and the right direction of bilateral relations, he said, urging the two sides to shoulder their international responsibility, set an example in boosting the strength and unity of developing countries, and contribute to promoting a multipolar world and greater democracy in international relations.

Xi stressed that China-India relations are essentially a question of how the two large developing countries and neighbors, each with a 1.4-billion-strong population, treat each other.

Development is now the biggest shared goal of China and India, he said, noting that the two sides should continue to uphold their important understandings, including that China and India are each other's development opportunity rather than threat, and cooperation partner rather than competitor.

He also urged the two countries to maintain a sound strategic perception of each other, and work together to find the right and bright path for big, neighboring countries to live in harmony and develop side by side.

Modi, for his part, noted that maintaining the steady growth of India-China relations is critical to the two countries and peoples. It not only concerns the well-being and future of 2.8 billion people, but also carries great significance for peace and stability of the region and even the world at large, he added.

Against a complex international landscape, cooperation between India and China, two ancient civilizations and engines of economic growth, can help drive economic recovery and promote multipolarity in the world, Modi said.

He said that India is willing to strengthen strategic communication, enhance strategic mutual trust, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation with China.

India will give every support for China's Shanghai Cooperation Organization presidency and strengthen communication and cooperation with China in BRICS and other multilateral frameworks, he added.

The two leaders commended the important progress the two sides had recently made through intensive communication on resolving the relevant issues in the border areas. Modi made suggestions on improving and developing the relationship, which Xi agreed to in principle.

The two sides agreed to make good use of the Special Representatives mechanism on the China-India boundary question, ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas, and find a fair and reasonable settlement.

The two sides agreed on holding talks between their foreign ministers and officials at various levels to bring the relationship back to sound and steady development at an early date.

The two sides agreed to strengthen communication and cooperation in multilateral fora to safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

The two sides were of the view that this meeting is constructive and carries great significance. They agreed to view and handle China-India relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, prevent specific disagreements from affecting the overall relationship, and contribute to maintaining regional and global peace and prosperity and to advancing multipolarity in the world.