India-China Relations: India, and China should resolve differences through dialogue: Chinese envoy

China's outgoing Ambassador Sun Weidong said on Tuesday that as neighbors, it is natural for China and India to have some differences, but the focus should be on finding common ground for development while resolving pending issues through dialogue. His remarks came at the end of his more than three-year tenure in which relations between India and China came under severe strain after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15, 2020.

China and India are important to each other

"China and India are important neighbors of each other. There are bound to be some differences between China and India. The main thing is how to handle the differences," Sun said in his farewell remarks. “We must be aware that the common interests of the two countries are greater than differences. In the meantime, both sides must try to manage and resolve the differences.

He said that instead of defining China-India relations, the appropriate solution should be sought through dialogue and consultation. He also mentioned Rabindranath Tagore. "The famous Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore has said that we East cannot borrow neither the mind of the West nor the nature of the West. We need to discover our right to be born. I completely agree with him."

Misunderstandings and miscalculations need to be avoided

Sun Weidong said the two countries need to respect each other's political systems and development paths and uphold the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs and avoid "misunderstandings and miscalculations". “If the Western theory of geopolitics is applied to Sino-India relations, major neighbors like ours will inevitably see each other as threats and adversaries. As a result, competition and confrontation will be the main mode of dialogue.

"But the reality is that geographical proximity is an objective existence. This should be an opportunity for us to harness our potential for greater interaction and collaboration, and to learn from and complement each other," the ambassador said. Emphasizing enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides, the Ambassador mentioned three distinct dimensions of India-China relations.

He said, "We should increase communication and cooperation. China and India have established dialogue mechanisms at various levels and departments. We should make full use of all communication channels and deepen mutual understanding to avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations." "

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