India, China should strengthen ties in ‘Dragon-Elephant tango’: Xi Jinping to President Murmu

This comes as tensions between New Delhi and Beijing have eased in the recent months following the 2020 border clash in the Himalayas.

Xi said both countries should work toward peaceful coexistence and expressed readiness to enhance communication and coordination in international affairs while maintaining stability in border areas, according to Reuters.

According to reports, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also exchanged congratulatory messages.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun during a media briefing on Tuesday said that both nations are ancient civilizations, major developing countries, and important members of the Global South, and are currently in a crucial stage of modernisation. He added that that the historical course of their bilateral relations proves that cooperating as partners for mutual success, symbolised by the “dragon and the elephant,” is the right path for both sides.

Regarding celebrations for the 75th anniversary, Guo said both sides are committed to using this occasion to advance their bilateral relations. Specific event details will be released in due course.

After last year’s meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Jinping, India and China engaged in high-level discussions, including Special Representatives’ boundary talks and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to Beijing to restore normalcy following the Ladakh standoff.

On March 25, diplomatic talks were held in Beijing, focusing on border management and the resumption of cross-border cooperation, including trans-border rivers and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

The WMCC meeting reviewed proposals from the December Special Representatives dialogue between NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Following this, MEA Joint Secretary Gourangalal Das and Chinese Foreign Ministry Director General Liu Jinsong met in Beijing to discuss rebuilding ties, including restoring direct flights and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

The MEA stated that both sides discussed gradually reinstating dialogue mechanisms to address mutual concerns and work toward more stable relations.