Friendly relations of paramount importance for China, India

China and India have been good neighbors for thousands of years. Sino-Indian friendship is unshakable mainstream, and is in line with the fundamental interests of both sides.
　　
Starting from May 19, Premier Li Keqiang will depart for a four-nation visit to Asia and Europe. India, as an important leg of the trip, fully demonstrates the Chinese government attaches great importance to the development of Sino-Indian relations. Sino-Indian relationship has a very important position in China's overall diplomatic relations, and it will be more important in the future; Sino-Indian friendship is the unshakable mainstream. In the 21st century, the two countries have maintained high-level interactions, and the two countries have close cooperation in the multilateral arena. Bilateral economic and trade ties and cultural exchanges have become closer, and the common national interests are expanding and deepening. Both countries deeply understand that China and India must maintain friendly relationship, which is in line with the fundamental interests of both sides. Although there are some unavoidable differences and frictions between China and India, it is important to grasp the friendly mainstream and continue to eliminate interference.

China does not have the strategic intent to contain India, nor strategic plan to surround it, and there are no such things as "string of pearls" that China is planning to build against India in the Indian Ocean. China has legitimate interest in the Indian Ocean, and India also has legitimate interest in the Pacific. These are not in contradiction with each other. Development of relations between China and India does not exclude a third party. With increasingly diverse national interests, different countries may have different opinions in one field, and cooperate with each other in another field, and these are very normal. People cannot say two countries are containing each other just because there are differences between them.

Sino-Indian friendship is significant for the two countries in the future. With 1.2 billion people, young population structure, an adequate supply of labor, ample fertile land, high-level information industry, highly competitive private sector, financial system connected to the developed world, India has great potential for future economic development. In enjoys an advantageous geographical location as it connects East and West, and borders on the source of energy in the Middle East. Sino-Indian friendship and cooperation will benefit both sides, and is an important to Asia and the world.

Edited and Translated by Huang Beibei, People's Daily Online
Read the Chinese version:中印友好意义重大
Source: People's Daily
Author: Wei Wei，Chinese Ambassador to India

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