President Xi urges China, India to facilitate each other's pursuit of development aspirations

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged China and India to facilitate each other's pursuit of development aspirations.

During his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit, Xi said the two sides should strengthen communication and cooperation and properly manage differences and disagreements.

Xi pointed out that as time-honored civilizations, large developing countries and important members of the Global South, China and India both stand at a crucial phase of their respective modernization endeavors. 

The best way to advance the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples is for both to keep to the trend of history and the right direction of bilateral relations, he said.

He called on the two countries to shoulder their international responsibility, set an example in boosting the strength and unity of developing countries and contribute to promoting a multipolar world and greater democracy in international relations.

Development is the biggest common denominator between China and India, Xi said, calling on both sides to be partners instead of competitors, adhere to a correct strategic understanding and seek a right path for neighboring countries to live in harmony and develop together.

For his part, Modi said maintaining the stable development of India-China relations is of great importance to both countries and their peoples.

As two time-honored civilizations and major economies, India-China cooperation is conducive to promoting economic recovery and world multipolarity, Modi said, vowing to enhance strategic communication with China and expand mutually beneficial cooperation.

The two leaders spoke positively of the recent progress made by the two sides in resolving issues related to border areas through intensive communication.

The two sides agreed to give full play to the role of the meeting mechanism between the two countries' special representatives on border issues, maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas, and seek fair and reasonable solutions.

Both sides agreed to conduct dialogue between the two countries' foreign ministers and officials at all levels to bring bilateral relations to the track of stable development at an early date.

Both sides believed that the meeting was constructive and of great significance, and agreed to view and handle bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, and not to let specific differences affect the overall relationship between the two countries.