When asked for comment on Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar's remarks on January 18 that India-China relationship is trying to disentangle itself from the complications arising from the post-2020 border situation, and more thought needs to be given to the longer-term evolution of the ties based on mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that as two major time-honored civilizations, developing countries and emerging economies, China and India need to focus on development and engage in cooperation.
Guo Jiakun, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson/MFA PRC
"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." Guo said at a regular press conference in Beijing.
Guo also noted that 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, neighboring countries to live in harmony and develop side by side. 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 globalization, and make greater contribution to world peace, stability, development and prosperity." Guo added. (By Ma Ziqian/China Youth Daily