China, India should be partners rather than rivals: Chinese FM

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ China and India have encountered “some setbacks” in recent years which do not serve the fundamental interests of the two countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday as he called for managing boundary differences through consultation, actively seeking a “fair and equitable” settlement.

Addressing his annual press conference on the sidelines of the Chinese parliament, Wang also said that some forces have always sought to stoke tensions between China and India, in an apparent reference to the United States.

“China and India have encountered some setbacks in recent years which do not serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples,” Wang said in response to a question on the boundary issue and ties between the two neighbours.

He stressed on managing boundary differences through consultation, actively seeking a “fair and equitable” settlement. China and India should be partners rather than rivals, said Wang, also is the State Councilor.

Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said that India’s relationship with China is right now going through a “very difficult phase” after Beijing violated agreements not to bring military forces to the border.

Speaking at a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference 2022 in Germany, Jaishankar had said that India was having a problem with China along the Line of Actual Control.