China positively reacts to Modi's words to US media outlet on border dispute

DAYS after Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said in an interview with a US magazine that ties with China are important for his country and the two neighbours need to "address the prolonged situation" on their borders so that the "abnormality" in their bilateral relations can be overcome, Beijing reacted saying both it and New Delhi have made "positive progress" to resolve the border standoff, with both sides maintaining close communication through diplomatic and military channels.

Mao Ning, a senior official at the Chinese foreign ministry, made the remarks at a media briefing in Beijing on Friday (12).

"China and India are in close communication through diplomatic and military channels to address issues related to the border situation, and have achieved positive progress," she said in response to a question on Modi's interview.

"China believes that a sound and stable relationship is in the interest of both China and India.

"We hope that India will work with China to place the boundary question appropriately in bilateral relations and manage it properly, and put the relationship on a sound and steady track," she added.

"For India, the relationship with China is important and significant. It is my belief that we need to urgently address the prolonged situation on our borders so that the abnormality in our bilateral interactions can be put behind us," Modi said in the interview with Newsweek which was published on Wednesday (10). The article was headlined 'Narendra Modi and the unstoppable rise of India'.

The ties between India and China have been frozen except for trade ties ever since the eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong Tso (lake) area in eastern Ladakh.

The two sides have so far held 21 rounds of corps commander-level talks to resolve the standoff.

China's second reaction to Modi interview in as many days

This is the second time in as many days that China has reacted to Modi's interview.

On Thursday (11), while responding to a question on the Indian PM's interview, Mao had said that China had noted the former's remarks.

"Sound and stable China-India relations serve the interests of both countries and are conducive to peace and development in the region and beyond," she said.

On the boundary question, Mao had reiterated China's oft-repeated stand that it does not represent the entirety of China-India relations, and it should be placed appropriately in bilateral relations and managed properly.

However, India has maintained that there cannot be restoration of normalcy in its relations with China as long as the state of the borders remains abnormal.

Mao said both countries maintain close communication through diplomatic and military channels on handling issues related to the border situation and have made positive progress.

"We hope that India will work with China, approach the bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, keep building trust and engage in dialogue and cooperation, and seek to handle differences appropriately to put the relationship on a sound and stable track," she said.

According to the Chinese military, the two sides so far agreed to disengage from four points, namely the Galwan Valley, the Pangong Lake, Hot Springs, and Jianan Daban (Gogra).

India is pressing the People's Liberation Army to disengage from the Depsang and Demchok areas, maintaining that there cannot be restoration of normalcy in its relations with China as long as the border remains tense.

(With PTI inputs)