Time for dragon, elephant to dance together, says China’s Foreign Minister

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday said India and China have the wisdom to maintain “peace and tranquillity” in border areas pending a resolution of the boundary question.

He said the two sides “should never allow bilateral relations to be defined by the boundary question”.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday put out a transcript in English of what Wang said at a news conference.

Wang said, “We have enough wisdom and capability to maintain peace and tranquillity in border areas pending a fair and reasonable solution.

We should never allow bilateral relations to be defined by the boundary question, or let specific differences affect the overall picture of our bilateral ties.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry used a French phrase ‘pas de deux’ that describes a tango step during dance to describe the partnership between the two nations, saying “a cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant is the only right choice for both sides”.

Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the National People's Congress in Beijing, Wang called for both countries, as partners, to work towards each other’s success.

Wang is also Beijing's Special Representative for boundary talks.

“There is every reason for us to support each other rather than undercut each other, work with each other rather than guard against each other. This is the path that truly serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples," Wang said.

Following the agreements reached during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia, last year, India and China have begun high-level discussions aimed at normalising their strained relationship and fostering trust. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri have been engaging with their Chinese counterparts to advance these efforts.

As key members of the Global South, Wang stressed that China and India have a crucial role in opposing hegemonism and power politics. He called for both nations to safeguard their legitimate rights while upholding international norms.

Wang said this year marks the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic relations. China stands ready to work with India to sum up past experience, forge a path forward, and advance China-India relations on the track of sound and stable development, he said.