Kazan/New Delhi, Oct 23 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday agreed that the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question will meet at an early date to oversee the management of peace and tranquility in the border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question.
Meeting on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit at Kazan, PM Modi welcomed the recent agreement for complete disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in 2020 in the India-China border areas, and underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquility, a statement said.
The two leaders agreed that the relevant dialogue mechanisms at the level of Foreign Ministers and other officials will also be utilized to stabilize and rebuild bilateral relations.
The two leaders affirmed that stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, as two neighbours and the two largest nations on earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity.
It will also contribute to a multi-polar Asia and a multi-polar world. The leaders underlined the need to progress bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, enhance strategic communication and explore cooperation to address developmental challenges.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, briefing the media in Kazan, said the meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping was their first proper bilateral meeting at delegation level in nearly five years, with the last held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Brasilia in 2019.
“Today’s meeting happened close on the heels of the disengagement and patrolling agreement and the resolution of issues that had arisen in the India-China border areas in 2020. The two leaders welcomed the agreement reached between the two sides through sustained dialogue over the last several weeks in diplomatic as well as military channels. Prime Minister Modi underscored the importance of not allowing differences on boundary-related matters to disturb peace and tranquility on our borders,” he said.
The two leaders instructed the Special Representatives to meet at an early date and to continue their efforts on the boundary question. Special Representative of India National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Special Representative of China, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, have not had a round of talks in the Special Representative's format since December 2019.
“So, following today's meeting, we hope to schedule the next round of the SR's talks at an appropriate date,” the FS said.
The two leaders were of the view that stable bilateral relations between India and China, the two largest nations on Earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity. And both of them stressed that with maturity and wisdom, and by showing mutual respect for each other's sensitivities, interests, concerns and aspirations, the two countries can have a peaceful, stable and beneficial bilateral relationship, the FS said.
Prime Minister Modi also assured India's full support to China's SCO Presidency next year in 2025.
According to Xinhua, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged China and India to facilitate each other's pursuit of development aspirations.
“During his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit, Xi said the two sides should strengthen communication and cooperation, properly manage differences and disagreements.”
UNI RN