Xi confident of new progress in India-China ties in new year

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday called on Chinese President Xi Jinping, who expressed full confidence in Sino-India relations, hoping that “new progress” would be made in the ties in the new year. “I have full confidence in India-China relations and I believe that new progress will be achieved in growing this bilateral relationship in this new year,” Xi told Swaraj, who called on him at the cavernous Great Hall of the People here on her maiden visit to the communist nation after she assumed charge last year. [caption id=“attachment_2074251” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of China. PTI image[/caption] Xi said China and India have taken “solid steps” to make new progress in bilateral ties besides implementing the agreements reached between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that since his visit to India in September last year, relations between the two countries have entered into a new stage of growth. “The positive side of India-China relations has been growing and momentum of our cooperation has been strengthening and solid steps are being taken to implement agreements reached between Prime Minister Modi and I,” he said as he welcomed the 62-year-old senior BJP leader. One such solid step taken was yesterday’s exchange of notes on modalities for opening the second route for the Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra in Tibet via Sikkim by June, that will allow more Indians to undertake the pilgrimage. Xi had promised opening the new route to Modi during the former’s maiden visit to New Delhi last year. Recalling fond memories of his India visit, Xi told Swaraj: “Last September I visited India and cherish fresh memories about the gracious hospitality extended to me by government and people of India. “In particular, I cherish the memories of Prime Minister Modi’s home province Gujarat and Prime Minister himself accompanied me on that trip.” The 61-year-old Chinese President, who is also the General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party, conveyed his best wishes to the Indian leadership. “Please convey my best regards and greetings to President (Pranab) Mukherjee and Prime Minister Modi when you go back,” Xi said in a rare meeting with a visiting Foreign Minister. Reciprocating Xi’s warm words, Swaraj said Prime Minister Modi has sent his greetings and best wishes for the Chinese Lunar Year of Sheep, which commences on February 19. “Prime Minister Modi has extended his very best greetings for the Chinese Lunar Year of Sheep, which I have been told is associated with creativity and innovation… Your visit to India was also associated with creativity and innovation based on which the two countries explored new ways forward,” she said. “Leaders of the two countries should maintain communication and exchanges and work together to ensure the correct direction for the development of the bilateral ties,” Xi told Swaraj. Xi attributed the stable development of the relationship mainly to the accumulating political trust and consensus on some major issues reached between the leaders of the two countries, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Recalling his visit to India in September, Xi said his visit initiated a new phase of relationship and that the trend of friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries is “very good”. Xi said he “welcomes Prime Minister Modi to visit China at an early date.” China and India should grasp the “opportunity of the century” to combine their development strategies and push ahead with their strategic cooperation on railways and industrial parks to benefit the 2.5 billion people of the two countries as well as the global economic development, he said. Xi said the two sides should patiently control and manage disputes to prevent them from affecting the overall relationship. He called for sincerity and willingness to pursue a gradual and appropriate resolution of disputes. “China stands ready to increase communication and coordination with India on global governance and other major international and regional issues to ensure the international order develops in a more fair and rational direction and to safeguard the interests of emerging markets and developing countries,” Xi said. She said the consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries is being implemented and India looks forward to more investment from China and  more balanced trade between the two countries, Xinhua report said. The Indian side hopes for more dialogue on border issues, she added. Swaraj said Prime Minister Modi looked forward to visiting China and she believed this visit would bring important progress for the relationship. PTI