China, India should be partners, not rivals, says Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi

China and India have encountered "some setbacks" in recent years which do not serve the fundamental interests of the two countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday as he called for managing boundary differences through consultation, actively seeking a "fair and equitable" settlement.

Addressing his annual press conference on the sidelines of the Chinese parliament, Wang also said that some forces have always sought to stoke tensions between China and India, in an apparent reference to the US.

"China and India have encountered some setbacks in recent years which do not serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples,” Wang said in response to a question asked by PTI on the boundary issue and ties between the two neighbours.

He stressed managing boundary differences through consultation, actively seeking a "fair and equitable" settlement.

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China and India should be partners rather than rivals, said Wang, also is the State Councilor.

Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said that India's relationship with China is right now going through a "very difficult phase" after Beijing violated agreements not to bring military forces to the border.

Speaking at a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2022 in Germany, Jaishankar had said that India was having a problem with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

The tension escalated following a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley on June 15, 2020.

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As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in Gogra as well as in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake last year.

India and China held the 14th round of Corps Commander-level meeting on January 12 during which the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels to work out a "mutually acceptable resolution" of the remaining issues of the standoff at eastern Ladakh.

China has described as “positive and constructive” the latest round of military-level talks with India and said Beijing will work closely with New Delhi to "properly handle" the border issue, even as it refuted the US allegation of “intimidating” neighbours.

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