A week after India announced that it had reached a patrolling agreement with China for the Demchok and Depsang areas of eastern Ladakh, the Chinese ambassador to the country has said “a number of important understandings” have been agreed upon and Beijing is hopeful that both Relations between countries will improve. Both countries will progress smoothly.
Ambassador Xu Feihong, who was in Kolkata on Wednesday, said the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia on October 23 was very important and the discussions between them will serve as guidelines. For relationship development.
“A very important meeting took place between President Xi Jinping and PM Narendra Modi. Now that the two leaders have reached a number of important understandings, they will become guidelines for the further development of relations between our two countries. I hope that “Under the guidance of this consensus, our relations will move forward smoothly in the future and they will not be restricted or hindered by specific disagreements between our two sides,” the ambassador said.
Saying that some differences between neighboring countries are natural, the ambassador said, “The most important thing is how to handle them and how to resolve them. The meeting of the two leaders has set a very good example for us that these How to handle differences of opinion.”
To a question on when direct flights between India and China – which were halted in 2020 – would resume, the ambassador laughed and said, “I am also waiting for direct flights so that I can fly straight to Beijing.” I can.”
Mr Feihong said the direct flights would be convenient for everyone and save time and money.
Responding to a question on trade relations, the ambassador also said he wanted seamless cooperation between India and China in trade, education, science and “every field”.
‘Withdrawal of troops from two areas complete’
Mr Feihong’s comments come on a day when Indian Army sources said withdrawal of troops in both areas has been completed and patrolling will begin soon. Sources said patrolling modalities will be worked out by ground commanders and sweets will be exchanged with Chinese troops on the occasion of Diwali on Thursday.
Under the patrolling agreement for Depsang and Demchok, which was announced on October 21, it was decided that troops would return to the positions that existed before the standoff between the two countries began in 2020.
NDTV obtained satellite photos the same week that showed structures were being removed by the Chinese side.
