China willing to work with India to advance bilateral ties: foreign ministry

BEIJING, April 1 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to work with India to take the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to advance the sound and stable development of bilateral relations, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday exchanged congratulatory messages on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Chinese Premier Li Qiang also exchanged congratulatory messages with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In response to a relevant query, foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said both China and India are ancient civilizations, major developing countries and important members of the Global South, and both are in a crucial stage of modernization.

He said the historical course of bilateral relations shows that being partners of mutual success and a cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant is the right choice for both sides and fully meets the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples.

Under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China stands ready to work with India to view and handle the bilateral relations with a strategic and long-term perspective, and take this occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to advance China-India relations on the track of sound and stable development, Guo said.