Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday emphasised the commitment to taking the India-China ties forward, based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity, during his bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
He appreciated the progress made on several fronts of ties and peace on the border post disengagements. He also spoke about the beginning of the Kailash Mansoravar Yatra and touched upon the beginning of direct flight connectivity between the two countries.
He said that an agreement has been reached on border management between the two countries.
“Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created,” PM Modi said.
“An agreement has been reached between our Special Representatives regarding border management. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been resumed. Direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity,” the Prime Minister Modi said.
He thanked the Chinese President for the warm welcome and congratulated China for successfully chairing the SCO. “I congratulate you on China’s successful chairmanship of the SCO. I thank you for the invitation to visit China and for our meeting today”.
The Prime Minisiter Modi arrived on Saturday evening in the city, his first visit to China in more than seven years.
Recently, India and China have taken multiple steps to smooth their bilateral relationship, including the resumption of trade through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, Shipki La Pass in Himachal Pradesh, and Nathu La Pass in Sikkim.
During Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit on August 18 and August 19, both sides agreed to resume direct flight connectivity between the Chinese mainland and India at the earliest and finalise an updated Air Services Agreement. They also agreed on the facilitation of visas for tourists, businesses, media and other visitors in both directions.
In July, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing and said that the resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is widely appreciated in India.
Known for its religious value, cultural significance, physical beauty and exciting natural environment, Kailash Manasarovar Yatra is undertaken by several people every year. It holds religious importance for Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists.
The Government of India organises the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra every year between June and September, through the two official routes of Lipulekh Pass (since 1981) in Uttarakhand and Nathu La Pass (since 2015) in Sikkim.The Yatra had not taken place since 2020 following the COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent non-renewal of Yatra arrangements by the Chinese Side.
Indian side had taken up the issue of resumption of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra with the Chinese side in its diplomatic engagements.
Meanwhuile this evening, the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will kick off at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre in Tianjin. After a welcoming ceremony and a photo session, the leaders will attend a reception and a concert.
The SCO comprises 10 members. In addition to India, they include Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. There are also several dialogue partners and observers. India has been a member of the SCO since 2017, having been an observer since 2005.During the course of the summit, PM Modi is also scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The SCO summit is crucial for India, as it comes after the US’ 50 per cent tariffs took effect. Of these, a 25 per cent tariff was imposed on New Delhi for buying Russian crude oil. (ANI)
