China and India marked 75 years of diplomatic ties with an exchange of congratulatory messages between leaders, including President Xi Jinping and President Droupadi Murmu. Xi called for strengthening trade cooperation and called India for a ‘Dragon-Elephant Tango’ partnership, highlighting both nations’ roles in the Global South.
Photo : PTI
New Delhi: China and India are major developing countries and the two sides must work together to strengthen practical cooperation in trade and other areas, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his congratulatory messages to President Droupadi Murmu. The two sides send out the congratulatory messages marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China.
In his message, Xi said India and China are “important members of the Global South and both are in a crucial stage of modernisation”, and hence their partnership would contribute to each other’s success and the cooperative dance of ‘the dragon and the elephant’.
“President Xi Jinping and his Indian counterpart Droupadi Murmu besides Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanged congratulatory messages respectively,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a media briefing, reported PTI.
“The historical course of our bilateral relations shows that being partners that contributed to each other’s success and the cooperative dance of ‘the dragon and the elephant’ is the right choice for both sides,” Guo further said.
He added that China stands ready to work with India to view and handle bilateral relations with a strategic and long-term perspective and take this occasion as an opportunity to enhance strategic mutual trust and step up exchanges and cooperation in various fields.
Giving an update on the exchange, newly-appointed Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said that both countries also face challenges in their economic relations.
He said China remains India’s largest trading partner fuelling the bilateral trade to USD 138.48 billion in 2024, but there are concerns about the business environment.
“China is willing to work with India to strengthen practical cooperation in trade and other areas, and to import more Indian products that are well-suited to the Chinese market. We also welcome more Indian enterprises to cross the Himalayas and seek opportunities for cooperation in China, sharing the dividends of China’s development,” Xu told the Global Times.
He, however, expressed hope that India would create a more welcoming environment for the Chinese companies, creating an environment that would enhance the mutual benefits for both nations.