Chinese President Xi Jinping sends 'Dragon-Elephant Tango' message to Indian President Murmu

Xi made the comment in his congratulatory message to Indian President Droupadi Murmu as the two countries complete 75 years of diplomatic relationship.

In his message, Xi Jinping called on both sides to view and handle bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, seek a way, which features peaceful coexistence, mutual trust, mutual benefit and common development, for neighboring major countries to get along with each other, and jointly promote a multi-polar world and greater democracy in international relations, reported Xinhua news agency.

Xi also said he stands ready to work with Murmu to take the anniversary of ties as an opportunity to enhance strategic mutual trust, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, deepen communication and coordination in major international affairs, jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the China-India border area, push forward a sound and steady development of bilateral relations and contribute to world peace and prosperity.

Xi's remarks assume significance since India and China are working hard to reset ties that had touched low points following the 2020 Ladakh military standoff.

Murmu Says India-China's Stable Friendly Ties Will Benefit World

As per Xinhua report, Murmu said India and China are two major neighboring countries that are home to one-third of the world's population, noting that a stable, predictable and friendly bilateral relationship will benefit both countries and the world.

In her message, the Indian leader proposed to take the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to jointly promote the sound and steady development of India-China relations.

As per the Indian Embassy in China's website, India became the first non-socialist bloc country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China on April 1, 1950.

Although the border conflict of 1962 was a setback to bilateral ties, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s 1988 visit marked a beginning in the improvement of bilateral relations.

Ladakh Situation

On June 15, 2020, Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a six-hour clash in the rugged terrain of Ladakh, engaging in hand-to-hand combat with makeshift weapons such as stones, batons, and iron rods.

The face-off occurred in near-complete darkness and freezing temperatures, leading to fatalities as soldiers fell or were pushed from ridges.

Twenty Indian soldiers were martyred in the clash, while China officially acknowledged four casualties, although reports indicate higher Chinese losses, as soldiers drowned in the choppy waters of the Galwan River.

Late last year, India and China reached a consensus and agreed to disengage along the border "in a coordinated and planned way".

Both armies withdrew from their positions to their respective positions on their sides and verified each others' positions after that.

LAC

For over four years, the two countries were engaged in a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) following the Galwan clash which took place in June 2020.

In a recent interaction with US-based podcaster and computer scientist Lex Fridman, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that his government is focused on ensuring that differences do not escalate into disputes.

"Our focus is to ensure that these differences don't turn into disputes. That's what we actively work toward. Instead of discord, we emphasise dialogue, because only through dialogue can we build a stable, cooperative relationship that serves the best interests of both nations," PM Modi told Lex Fridman.