Chinese state councilor meets Indian external affairs minister

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at a ministerial meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, May 22, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Yong)

BISHKEK, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj here at a ministerial meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Wednesday.

Congratulating on the successful conclusion of India's general election, China hopes India will set up a new government on schedule, and that both sides achieve a smooth transition and further development of bilateral relations, Wang said.

China and India shall fulfill the important consensuses reached by leaders of both countries, prepare well for high-level exchanges at the next stage, initiate bilateral dialogue mechanisms as soon as possible, maintain peace and stability at the border region, and together celebrate the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2020, Wang said.

As a neighbor of India and Pakistan, China sincerely hopes that they can seize opportunities to improve their relations and promote peace and stability in the region, Wang said.

For her part, Swaraj said the new government of her country will continue to make the development of India-China ties a diplomacy priority, and will further boost bilateral cooperation in all fields.

India is willing to work with China to implement the key consensuses reached by leaders of both countries, strengthen communication and coordination, enhance people-to-people exchanges, and jointly safeguard peace at the border region, so as to promote the development of bilateral relations, she said.

Swaraj also said that her country is willing to improve bilateral relations with Pakistan, and that she hopes the two sides can make joint efforts to that end.