S Jaishankar Responds To Chinese Envoy's Call To Seek Common Ground

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday met the outgoing Chinese envoy to India, Sun Weidong and emphasized that peace and tranquillity in the border areas are essential to maintaining bilateral ties.

In his farewell remarks on Tuesday, the Chinese envoy had stressed the need to resolve differences between India and China and uphold the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs. 

"We should be aware that the common interests of the two countries are greater than differences," Sun had said.

"Received Ambassador Sun Weidong of China for a farewell call. Emphasized that the development of India-China relations is guided by the 3 Mutuals. Peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential," Jaishankar tweeted after meeting ambassador Sun.

"The normalization of India-China relations is in the interest of both countries, of Asia and the world at large," he said in another tweet.

Sun, who assumed office in July 2019, is leaving at a time when the two sides are trying to manage ties, following the 2020 border clash that has remained the dominant issue between the neighbours.

"There is enough room in the world for China and India to develop together, and two countries and peoples should have enough wisdom to find a way to live in peace and achieve win-win cooperation between the two big neighbouring and emerging countries," the Chinese envoy said in the remarks posted on the Chinese embassy website.

"...the two sides should strive to manage and resolve differences, and look for a proper solution through dialogue and consultation, instead of defining China-India relations by differences. The two countries need to respect each other's political systems and development paths, and uphold the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs," he said.

The Chinese envoy said that both India-China should break out of the "geopolitics trap" and find a new path that is different from the past.

Since April 2020, India and China have had several rounds of diplomatic and military level meetings on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), in the India-China border areas.

India has repeatedly emphasised that India-China relations cannot be normal unless the border situation is resolved and added that if China disturbs the peace and tranquillity in border areas, it will impact the relations further.

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