Right time to reset relations, says China's state-run newspaper ahead of Modi 3.0

As the BJP-led NDA is all set to form a government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the third consecutive time, one of China's leading English-language newspapers said on Thursday that this is an "opportune moment to reset relations" between the two neighbouring countries.

"The two countries should demonstrate they have the wisdom to settle the dispute through negotiations in good faith. To that purpose, while maintaining their close communication through diplomatic and military channels, they should not allow any external power to take advantage of their border dispute to sow discord between them," state-run 'China Daily' mentioned in an editorial.

While highlighting that as neighbours and the two largest developing countries, China and India have "more common interests than differences", the editorial blamed "some Western countries" for driving a wedge between New Delhi and Beijing.

"Although the border dispute has flared up and the Indian government has been implementing protectionist measures targeting Chinese companies, investments and imports since 2020, the bilateral trade volume has remained sizable and stable, staying between $120 billion and $130 billion over the past three years. This should prompt New Delhi not to let its Western supplicants have its ear," it stated.

Suggesting that the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections present India an opportunity to "reset its past China policy" and further tap into the potential of Sino-Indian relations, the editorial mentioned that the two sides should support each other and contribute to each other's success, instead of viewing each other with suspicion and undermining one another.

China's development, it stated, does not represent risks, uncertainties or threats to India, but rather growth, development and opportunities, as is true vice versa.

"Combined, the population of the two countries accounts for about 37.5 per cent of the global population. The two neighbours should be open to each other's development and always make joint efforts to approach bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective.

"The strong complementarity between their economic structures and development stages makes them good partners; their historical cultural and people-to-people bonds make them good neighbours; and by upholding their strategic autonomy on the world stage, they can safeguard world peace and stability and promote a just and fair international order and multilateral global governance," the China Daily editorial detailed.