Modi and Xi gave direction to ties: China

...China-india relations have shown a sound momentum of improvement with frequent high-level exchanges

LU KANG, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson

BEIJING: China said on Friday that ties with India are riding a wave of “sound momentum”, practical cooperation is being fast-tracked and bilateral relations could contribute to world peace.

The impetus given to ties at the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in the central Chinese city of Wuhan last year had given the direction that bilateral ties needed, the foreign ministry said on Friday. “You can see that under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, Chinaindia relations have shown a sound momentum of improvement with frequent high-level exchanges and a close exchange in all areas and practical cooperation has entered a fast track,” Lu Kang, the foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a regular press briefing.

Besides practical cooperation, Beijing was willing to work with New Delhi to contribute to world peace and development, he said.

Lu was reacting to a query by the official media on Indian home minister Rajnath Singh’s comment on Thursday that at a time the world is facing uncertainties, ties with China are stabilising.

Relations between the neighbours are on an upswing following a period of chill in the aftermath of a military standoff at Doklam in 2017.

Reacting to Singh’s comments, Lu said, “China and India are important neighbours and they are important emerging markets. A sound and steady China-india relation serves the interests of the two countries and peoples.”

Both foreign ministries have sounded positive about the state of ties in recent months.