BEIJING: China said on Sunday the border dispute with India had been “contained” and the two countries should “do more” to strengthen cooperation to facilitate its settlement.

Addressing his annual press conference on the sidelines of a meeting of the National People’s Congress, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said a warm welcome awaits Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he makes his first visit to China later this year.

Also read: China slams Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh

“Last September, President Xi Jinping made a historic visit to India. Picture of the two leaders working at a spinning wheel in Gujarat, the home state of prime minister, has spread far and wide in China,” Mr Wang said in response to a question from PTI about the bilateral relations at a nationally-televised and crowded press conference.

Minister says a warm welcome awaits Indian prime minister

“Chinese people believe in reciprocating the courtesy of others. I am sure when Prime Minister Modi visits China later this year, he will be warmly welcomed by the Chinese government and people,” he said.

Terming the China-India boundary question a legacy of history, the minister said: “We have worked on it for many years and made some progress in the boundary negotiations.

“The dispute has been contained. At the moment, the boundary negotiations are in the process of building up small positive developments. It is like climbing a mountain and the going is tough because we are on the way up.

“This is all the more reason that we do more to strengthen China-India cooperation so that we can enable and facilitate the settlement of the boundary question,” he said.

Recalling the statement of one of China’s former top leaders, Deng Xiaoping, who said that unless India and China were developed there would be no Asian century, Mr Wang said: “China is prepared to work with India to implement important agreements reached by our leaders.

“Chinese dragon and Indian elephant should join in a duet to work for the early revitalisation of two ancient civilisations, common prosperity of the two emerging markets and amicable coexistence of two large neighbours,” he said.

Mr Modi is expected to visit China before May 6, around the time when his government completes one year in office.

By arrangement with the Times of India

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2015

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