Beijing [China], January 22 : After External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized the need for "mutual respect, sensitivity, and interests" in India-China relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun highlighted the importance of cooperation between the two nations, stating that it serves the fundamental interests of the people of both countries.
During a regular press briefing on Tuesday, Guo said, "As two major time-honored civilizations, developing countries and emerging economies, China and India need to focus on development and engage in cooperation. This serves the fundamental interests of over 2.8 billion people of the two countries, meets the common aspiration of regional countries and peoples, goes along with the historical trend of the Global South growing stronger, and is conducive to peace and prosperity of the region and the wider world."
He added, "The two sides need to earnestly deliver on the important common understandings reached between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in their meeting in Kazan, including that China and India are each other's development opportunity rather than threat, and cooperation partner rather than competitor. We need to view and handle the bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, bring the relations back to the track of healthy and stable development, and find the right path for big, neighbouring countries to live in harmony and develop side by side."
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson also stressed the need for both countries to remain committed to the "Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence" in global affairs.
Guo said, "In global affairs, the two sides need to remain committed to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, practice true multilateralism, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation, and make greater contribution to world peace, stability, development and prosperity."
Notably, while delivering the 19th Nani A. Palkhivala Memorial Lecture in Mumbai on January 18, Jaishankar had stated that India must prepare for expressions of China's growing capabilities, especially those that directly impact India's interests. He summarized India's approach in terms of the three mutuals: mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interest.
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