Chinese Ambassador Call to Strengthen Bilateral Ties with India: “Will Work Together”

China and India are the two biggest emerging economies in the world. Historically, the two nations have a long history of cultural relationship as well as diplomatic ties. However, this relationship recently saw strain due to the disputes over borders. Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, has called for resolution of the issues affecting ties between the two nations and expressed his desire for a return to better relations. Expressing these sentiments in a public statement, he underlined cooperation between India and China to the benefit of both countries and to the greater world at large. Here is a peek at the message of the ambassador, the present problems ongoing, and the future probability about India-China relations.

A Call for Better Ties
While Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong, in a recent address, urged both the nations to strive and strengthen bilateral ties, Indian-China history still seems like a story yet to be told. “China and India, we are very good neighbors – used to be very good neighbors over thousands of years,” Xu said. His words recalled the long-standing cultural and economic relations that once thrived between the two Asian giants.

Xu said: “As two major developing countries and emerging economies, a good relationship between China and India is to the interest of both our nations as well as world development and prosperity.” He also added, “The good relationship between our countries will serve the interests of our two sides and also for the development and prosperity of the world.”

Coming at a time when both countries have been navigating various points of friction, particularly regarding border tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the message comes as part of a diplomatic exchange when India and China are trying to turn over a new page in their relationship. The ambassador acknowledged that “we are very important and we should turn over the page as soon as possible to have sound and sustainable bilateral ties between us”.

Reinforcing China’s Readiness to Co-operate with India
Xu Feihong spoke ahead of the mutual diplomatic gestures that have been made by India and China. His words were in line with the letter from Indian President Droupadi Murmu to Chinese President Xi Jinping, as she marked 75 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. In her letter, President Murmu reiterated that maintaining peaceful and stable relations between the two countries was very important.

Xu reiterated China’s keenness to work with India towards better ties. He underscored that peaceful dialogue and diplomacy are the requirements in working to make both countries’ challenges come true. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar agreed, referring to the border tension but this time he drew closer to an irreducible importance of mutual diplomatic relations. Although tensions on the border cast a shadow over the relationship, both sides are now signaling that they are open and willing to begin dialogue and move toward cooperation.

Regional Cooperation Focal Point: Odisha hub
In addition to discussing the overall diplomatic linkage between India and China, Xu Feihong focused on the aspect of regional cooperation. During his meeting recently with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, Xu elaborated that he is of the highest interest in the prospects of developing the eastern Indian state. Xu highly complimented Odisha’s potential to turn out into an infrastructure as well as a cultural tourism hub, describing the strategic plans for infrastructure developed for the state as outstanding.

“We are deeply impressed by the development of the economy of Odisha and also deeply impressed by the bright prospects for the further development of the state. You have very good blueprints for infrastructure projects like highways, sea ports, and railways. It will be a very good infrastructure hub for this country and for this region,” Xu noted.

It is in this light that regional development through investments in infrastructure across the world resonates well with China’s other global goals. With Xu drawing focus on Odisha towards India’s infrastructure development, he arguably opened the doors for possible Chinese investments in the state’s projects currently gaining momentum. He pointed out that the state is also rich in tradition and culture and that Odisha could also be a cultural bridge for China and India as well.

Expectation of Expansion of Sino-India Tourism and Investment
It seems that Xu Feihong’s comments on Odisha somehow focus on the interest of China in stimulating tourism and investment in the region. He appeared optimistic that relations between China and Odisha would improve considerably over the next few years, and the two sides would gradually come closer together.

“I just hope that in the future Chinese tourists will be coming here – the Chinese investments will be coming, so the ties between China and Odisha will be closer and stronger in the future,” Xu stated. His remarks suggest that China sees great potential in building economic and cultural bridges between its provinces and Indian states like Odisha.

Investment by the Chinese in India has been a topic of debate for the past few years considering the rising tensions in the geopolitical field. There is hope for renewed cooperation and better prospects for Chinese involvement in India’s development process with Xu’s statement. It can become the soft entry point into rebuilding trust between the two countries, with cultural exchange programs and mutual visits playing an important role in the goodness reflected between them.

Road Ahead for India-China Relations
The future of India-China relations is sure to be rather uncertain with both the nations being stuck up with some deep-rooted problems bordering and beyond it. The recent skirmishes on the LAC have put too much stress on both sides, and each is aware of how thin the balance is between breaking up further in the fray.

Stated simply, however, statements by Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong clearly indicate a Chinese willingness to engage in constructive dialogue with India. Regional development, tourism, and investment are concrete areas of mutual benefit that give substantive opportunities for rebuilding trust between the countries while laying foundational, more cooperative building blocks for the future.

As Xu himself said, a sound and sustainable bilateral relationship between India and China will benefit its citizens first and thus be in the best interest of others to live in peace and prosperity. The coming months will surely see plenty of action from these two Asian giants to navigate their differences and work towards greater cooperation.

Conclusion
Such a dialogue from Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong comes at a very opportune time. The border tensions and diplomatic challenges existing between the two nations make it rather a critical juncture and important to relate to each other at this juncture. Xu is pushing hard on disputes resolution and regional cooperation, especially in states like Odisha, giving an optimistic outlook for the future. Therefore, deepening economic and cultural ties could serve as a promise for a brighter and more cooperative age in India-China relations.

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