Wang: Chinese dragon, Indian elephant must dance together

Beijing, March 8

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi today said that China and India should be “free of mental inhibition” and build mutual trust, which is a “precious commodity” in their ties.

Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the Chinese parliament session, Wang said both countries, which nearly came to war over a two-month military standoff along their border last year, should replace suspicion with trust.

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Sounding positive on bilateral ties in the coming year, the minister said: “The Chinese dragon and Indian elephant must not fight each other, but dance with each other.”

India-China ties took a nosedive after their militaries faced-off each other in their worst standoff at Doklam. China’s opposition to a UN ban on Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar and India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) has also tested their relationship. 

“Despite some tests and difficulties, the China-India relationship continues to grow. In the process, China has both upheld its legitimate rights and interests and taken care to preserve the relationship. Chinese and Indian leaders have developed a strategic vision for the future of our relations. The Chinese dragon and Indian elephant must not fight each other, but dance with each other,” Wang said.

“China and India must do everything to empathise with and support each other and avoid mutual suspicion and attrition. “Mutual trust is the most precious commodity in China-India relations. With political trust, not even Himalayas can stop from friendly exchanges. Without it, even level land cannot bring us together,” Wang said.

“Let me put this to our Indian friends, our shared understanding far outstrips our differences and far outweigh our frictions. China is ready to forward traditional friendship.”  — IANS