India-China Relations Should Evolve Through 'Dragon-Elephant Tango': Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday emphasized that bilateral relations between China and India should resemble a "dragon-elephant tango," symbolizing a coordinated dance between their national emblems. His remarks hold significance as both nations seek to mend ties after more than four years of strained relations following the eastern Ladakh military standoff in 2020.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi met in Russia's Kazan in October last year and agreed to revive various dialogue mechanisms. (File photo)

In a congratulatory message to President Droupadi Murmu on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Xi highlighted that India and China have made the right choice by fostering a partnership of mutual progress, as reflected in their diplomatic developments. His message, as reported by the state-run Xinhua News Agency, underscored the need for both countries to approach their relationship with a strategic vision and long-term perspective.

Xi stressed the importance of peaceful coexistence, mutual trust, shared benefits, and common development to strengthen bilateral ties.

Xi added that both countries should work together to advance a multipolar world and enhance democracy in international relations.

"The development of China-India relations demonstrates that it is the right choice for China and India to be partners of mutual achievement and realise the 'dragon-elephant tango', which fully serves the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples," he said.

Marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Xi expressed his willingness to collaborate with President Murmu to use the occasion as a platform for enhancing exchanges and cooperation across various sectors. He emphasized the need to deepen communication and coordination on key international matters while jointly ensuring peace and stability along the China-India border.

Additionally, Xi underscored the importance of both nations contributing to global peace and prosperity, as reported by Xinhua.

Highlighting the historical significance of India and China as ancient civilizations, he described them as major developing nations and key members of the Global South. He noted that both countries were at a crucial juncture in their modernization efforts.

Meanwhile, President Murmu, as cited by Xinhua, advocated for a stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relationship that would be mutually beneficial and contribute positively to the world.

"She proposed to take the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to jointly promote the sound and steady development of India-China relations," the government-operated agency stated.

In addition to Xi and President Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese Premier Li Qiang also exchanged congratulatory messages, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated during a media briefing in Beijing in response to a question. "Today marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China," Guo said.

India-China Border De-Escalation Progressing as Planned

In February, China announced that it was collaborating with India to jointly implement resolutions aimed at ending the standoff in eastern Ladakh, marking the latest step in the ongoing India-China border de-escalation process.

This followed India's announcement that it had reached an agreement with China in October last year to disengage from two friction points—Demchok and Depsang—in eastern Ladakh. The withdrawal of troops was part of efforts to ease heightened tensions along the border, which had persisted since the Galwan clash in 2020.

As part of broader efforts to reset bilateral ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan, Russia, in October last year, where they agreed to revive various dialogue mechanisms. This was their first meeting in five years.

Building on this, in December, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 23rd Special Representative dialogue in Beijing, further strengthening the de-escalation process.

On February 21 this year, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Wang on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa. Their discussions centered on geopolitical challenges, multilateral cooperation, and ongoing global conflicts.

According to sources from the Ministry of External Affairs, the joint implementation of the de-escalation plan is progressing as scheduled.

(This Article was originally published by India Today)