China on Thursday said "sound and stable ties" serve its common interests with India. This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview with Newsweek magazine, expressed hope that through positive and constructive bilateral engagement at the diplomatic and military levels, the two countries will be able to restore and sustain peace and tranquillity at their borders.
Reacting to PM Modi’s remarks that for New Delhi, ties with Beijing are important and the “prolonged situation” at the borders should be addressed urgently, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, “China has noted the remarks by the prime minister”.
In a media briefing when asked for her reaction to Modi’s statement, Mao Ning said, “We believe that sound and stable China, India relations serve the common interests of both sides and are conducive to peace and development of the region and beyond,” as quoted by PTI.
In his interview, PM Modi stated that for India, the relationship with China is important and significant. "It is my belief that we need to urgently address the prolonged situation on our borders so that the abnormality in our bilateral interactions can be put behind us. Stable and peaceful relations between India and China are important for not just our two countries but the entire region and world," he said.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao said the boundary question "does not represent the entirety of the India-China relations. It should be placed appropriately in the bilateral relations and managed properly,” as quoted by PTI. The two sides are in close communication through diplomatic and military channels, she said.
“We hope India will work in the same direction with China, handle the bilateral relations from the strategic heights and long-term perspective, enhance mutual trust, stick to dialogue and cooperation, handle differences properly and put the bilateral relations forward on sound and stable track,” she said, as quoted by PTI.
The relations between India and China have been frozen except for trade ties ever since the eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong Tso (lake) area.