BEIJING- The Chinese dragon and Indian elephant must not fight but dancewith each other, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday as hecalled on the two nations to shed mental inhibitions, manage differencesand meet each other half way to enhance bilateral ties.
Wang’s remarks came during his annual press conference on the sidelines ofthe parliamentary session.
Asked how China views relations with India this year after turbulence inties in 2017 due to a number of issues including the Dokalam standoff, Wangsaid, “Despite some tests and difficulties, the China-India relationshipcontinues to grow”.
Bilateral ties were affected by a number of issues last year, including theChina-Pakistan Economic Corridor, China blocking efforts at the UN to listJeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist as well as India’s entry intothe Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Dokalam.The standoff ended on August 28 after the Chinese military stopped roadbuilding close to the strategic Chicken Neck corridor in an area claimed byBhutan.
Wang, however, said the two countries must shed mental inhibitions, managedifferences and meet each other half way.
“China is upholding its rights and legitimate interests and taking care topreserve the relationship with India,” he said.
“Chinese and Indian leaders have developed a strategic vision for thefuture of our relations. The Chinese dragon and Indian elephant must notfight each other but dance with each other,” he said.
“If China and India are united, one plus one will become eleven instead oftwo,” he said.
Speaking for the first time on bilateral ties this year, Wang said theinternational situation is experiencing its biggest change in a century andChina and India must do everything to emphasise this and support each otherand avoid mutual suspicion and attrition.
He said mutual trust is the most precious commodity in the China-Indiarelations.
“With political trust, not even the Himalayas can stop us from friendlyexchanges,” he said.
“A shared understanding far outstrip our differences. Our common interestsfar outweigh our frictions. China is willing and ready to inherit and takeforward our traditional friendship and be a friend and partner of Indianpeople.
“I hope the two sides will be free from mental inhibitions and meet eachother halfway. Let us replace suspicion with trust, manage differences withdialogue and build a future with cooperation,” he said.
Wang reacted strongly to a question whether the Indo-Pacific strategy beingfurthered by India, the US, Japan and Australia will affect China’s Beltand Road Initiative (BRI).
He said there was “no shortage of headline grabbing ideas” but they were”like the foam on the sea” that “gets attention but will soon dissipate”.
Contrary to claims made by some academics and media outlets that thestrategy is aimed at containing China, the four countries have made itclear that it targets no one, Wang said. “I hope they mean what they say,”he said.
“Let us not forget the BRI has received the support of over 100 countries.Nowadays stroking a new Cold War is out of sync with the times and incitingconfrontation will find no market,” he said.
Touted as Chinese President Xi Jinping’s ambitious project, the BRI focuseson improving connectivity and cooperation among Asian countries, Africa,China and Europe.
The BRI also includes the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) whichIndia opposed as it goes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.